


Courtship Rituals

by Ghostwriter (Zoya_Zalan)



Series: Flight of Illusion [4]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 03:51:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3795676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoya_Zalan/pseuds/Ghostwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A devastating attack leaves <i>Voyager</i> crippled as the mysteries of the Vardan sector are finally revealed. Amid all the chaos that ensues, love blossoms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Courtship Rituals

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer** : Paramount owns all things Voyager; I'm just borrowing. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> **Author’s Notes** : A very loooong time ago, when this series was first published on the web and in print form as a fanzine, I offered readers both a PG-13 and an NC-17 version. I see no reason why I can’t do that here too, at my new permanent home on AO3. This is the “Rated T” version. The “Explicit” version will follow as the fifth and final installment. Same chapter title, different rating.
> 
> Many thanks once again to Carol for all her beta help!
> 
> This chapter was written sometime during 1999. I neglected to make note of the month, possibly because it took me so long to finish it. :(

~ * ~ * ~

Darkness... there was just darkness, and it was very loud. The sounds reverberated as if off the sides of a metal room, magnified to painful levels. Somewhere in the middle of it all was Kathryn Janeway. Or, at least that's who she thought she was. The darkness was so heavy and disorienting that she couldn't be sure. She suddenly heard and felt a strange vibration — her voice, barely above a whisper, added to the cacophony that surrounded her. Then the sounds became clearer, filtering through the chaos until she recognized them. One sound stood out above all the others. Someone was calling her name, the tone sounding urgent. The feel of hands on her body shocked her back to consciousness, a wave of excruciating pain searing through her as she felt herself being lifted.

"Kathryn!" The voice was Chakotay's. "Kathryn, can you hear me?"

More noise in the background — different voices, all sounding unsettled. The ship was still shuddering, reeling from the explosions. Janeway forced her eyes open, despite the pain it caused. Chakotay was holding her tightly, barking orders while he smoothed hair back from her face. "Tom!"

"Internal communications are off line!" Paris yelled from the other end of the room. After entering several commands, Paris opened a small hatch below the panel, removing a small med kit before heading back to where his commanding officers were.

"What about transporters?"

"With the beating we're taking, I wouldn't recommend a site to site transport!" B'Elanna cautioned. "We're being ripped apart — I'm headed for Engineering!"

The events of the last few minutes suddenly came together with perfect clarity in Janeway's mind, rousing her even further into consciousness. Her command mode snapped into gear almost instantly, her voice asserting itself for the first time. "Chakotay..." she began softly, the sound echoing through her head painfully. "We need to..." Her voice trailed off as she gasped and reached for her forehead. There was a lump the size of a golf ball forming at her temple.

"Easy, Captain," Paris cautioned, scanning her with a medical tricorder. "You've got a pretty nasty concussion."

"We need to get you to Sickbay, Kathryn," Chakotay insisted. Once more, _Voyager_ buckled under a series of explosions. She opened her eyes again and fixed them on her first officer, determination blazing in her blue-grays.

"We need to get to the Bridge," Janeway stated, leaving nothing to question. Chakotay stared back, the confusion around them disappearing momentarily.

"Yes, ma'am," he offered quietly, a faint smile touching his lips. Janeway's gaze softened as she watched him. Reaching up, she allowed her hand to touch his cheek in a silent thank-you.

"Patch me up, Lieutenant," she ordered, turning back to the pilot crouched beside them.

Paris retrieved a hypo from the med kit, his eyes betraying his concern. "I can give you something for the pain, Captain, but I don't have the equipment necessary to treat your injury."

"That'll do," she whispered, closing her eyes once more as the hiss of the hypospray tore through her ears painfully.

"Let's move," Chakotay ordered quietly, helping the captain off the floor.

~ * ~ * ~

"What is our status, Ensign Lang?" Tuvok's voice carried across the Bridge.

"Shields are down to twenty-eight percent, sir! Our warp nacelles have been severely damaged — direct hits..." Lang stressed. Another series of blasts wracked _Voyager_ , causing several explosions on the Bridge.

"Evasive maneuver Gamma Seven——"

"Inertial dampeners are off line, Commander!" Ensign Baytart interrupted.

"In that case, it will be 'a rough ride,'" the Vulcan replied calmly, his face impassive.

"Yes, sir!" Baytart touched several controls, causing _Voyager_ to bank sharply to starboard. Everyone struggled to stay upright with the sudden shift in equilibrium. The lights on the Bridge dimmed and flickered as the ship strained to execute the command.

"Reroute auxiliary power to shields," Tuvok ordered.

The turbolift doors opened suddenly, the rest of the senior staff stumbling out as _Voyager_ came out of her roll. "Report!" Janeway barked. With her pain subdued, the captain of _Voyager_ was back in full force.

"There are five small vessels engaging us, Captain," Tuvok began. "They did not respond to our hails." Another barrage of phaser fire blasted against _Voyager's_ shields, crippling them even further.

Janeway stared fixedly at the viewscreen, watching as the smaller ships darted across their path. They were sleek-looking vessels, streamlined and black, which allowed them to blend into the star-filled background like shadows. "Can we get a message through?" she asked tightly.

Harry Kim's fingers moved swiftly across his console. A moment later, he looked up and shook his head. "Communications are completely off-line."

More phaser fire erupted from the enemy ships.

"I've had just about enough of this," Janeway murmured, her words laced with venom. "Weapons status?"

"Our weapons have proven ineffective against them. Despite their size, their firepower appears to be far superior to ours. They have successfully targeted our warp drive, Captain — direct hits."

Tuvok's words caused a jolt in the pit of Janeway's stomach. A calculated attack. "Arm photon torpedoes," she ordered, marching down to the command level. Chakotay was already there, accessing information from his screens.

"We can't fire them!" the first officer replied angrily.

"That last volley took out the main power grid, Captain!" Paris shouted. "We're running on auxiliary only!"

"Warning, life support system failure is imminent," the computer's voice announced through the chaos, punctuated by another round of phaser fire from the attacking ships. Janeway looked in Chakotay's direction as she grabbed onto the railing for support. Their gazes met and locked together, a million thoughts silently passing between them.

"We've lost impulse engines!" Paris's voice echoed loudly in her ears. The knot in her stomach had just become a gaping black hole.

"Dead in the water with no place to hide..." Janeway whispered ironically as _Voyager_ reeled once more under the assault. "Who the hell are they!"

"Captain!" Harry Kim shouted, his voice sounding more than a bit surprised. "We're receiving a set of coordinates!"

"Coordinates? They've accessed our computer system?" Janeway stared incredulously at the viewscreen.

"No, I don't think so," the young Ensign replied as he studied the readouts. "I can't identify the signal's origin."

"Where do those coordinates lead?" Chakotay asked, bracing himself as a new round of fire rocked them. One of the science consoles exploded suddenly, sending sparks flying in all directions. The captain glanced towards the station as she fought to keep herself upright. It had been unoccupied, fortunately.

"It's a trajectory just slightly off our present course!" Paris answered, looking up from his console.

"We couldn't comply even if we wanted to!" Janeway barked, stepping forward toward the Conn. "We don't have propulsion!"

"We have lost shields, Captain," Tuvok informed calmly. " _Voyager_ will not withstand another direct hit."

"I don't think the signal came from them!" Kim yelled from his station.

"What?!"

"The frequency is strange," he continued. "It's a low level bandwidth; almost like it's traveled from a great distance..."

Janeway looked at the viewscreen, a split second of terrified uncertainty slicing through her. Of course she'd faced no-win scenarios before, but in the past she'd always managed to survive somehow. Out here, in this unforgiving region of space so far away from anything they called home, there was no margin for error. Surrender wasn't an option, even if that was the attacker's intention. Federation technology couldn't be allowed to fall into enemy hands, period. Diplomacy hadn't worked, even when their communications system was functional. Defending themselves had had no effect, and none of them would fare long in the escape pods against that kind of firepower. Logically, there was only one alternative left, and by the looks on the faces of her crew, they understood the situation as well, understood exactly what needed to be done. She felt Chakotay's gaze on the back of her head and felt her stomach tighten.

"Captain, the ships are circling around for another attack." Tuvok's voice echoed in her head, and for a moment she went absolutely numb. Long fingers clasped the back of Paris's chair as she stared over his shoulder at the readouts.

Trust was a concept that came so naturally to the man she loved. It was also a concept she'd learned not to give in to — not here, not while protecting her crew. Janeway opened her mouth to speak, fully intending to give the order which would put a quick and painless end to the conflict at hand. But, instead of beginning the self-destruct sequence, she found herself momentarily overwhelmed by a feeling she couldn't describe or explain.

"Engage maneuvering thrusters, Mister Paris," Janeway began softly. "Lock in those coordinates."

Paris looked up at her, a mixture of fear and confusion in his eyes, but acknowledged the order without question. "Yes, ma'am."

_Voyager_ moved slowly under Paris's careful guidance, the injured vessel making one last valiant attempt at freedom. Her captain stood silently, one hand grasping the pilot's shoulder, as if to channel all of her remaining strength into the ship that was so much a part of her spirit.

"They are preparing to fire," Tuvok stated calmly.

"Stay on course," Janeway murmured.

"Captain..." Kim sounded confused.

Chakotay shifted around in his seat. "Harry?" he called expectantly.

"Spatial fluctuations... gamma particles..." the young officer shook his head in amazement. "It's all around us..."

"Cause?"

"I... I don't know!"

Janeway's heart was beating frantically as she watched the space that surrounded them begin to blur slightly on the viewscreen. One of the black shadows was approaching fast, though, and she stopped breathing altogether as another round of yellow phaser fire erupted from the enemy vessel. "Brace for impact!"

_Voyager_ reeled violently as the weapon found its target, pitching everyone to the floor. Explosions wracked the Bridge, destroying several more stations and leaving _Voyager's_ command center looking like the twisted landscape of some alien planet. Even the emergency lights seemed incredibly dim as the captain struggled to pull herself up through the haze of acrid smoke, yet another blow to the head causing her to wince as she tried focusing her eyes once more. Chakotay was at her side instantly, his steady hands helping her regain her balance.

"Kathryn," he whispered urgently. She placed her hand on his in reassurance.

"Warning, life support is inoperative. Structural integrity has been compromised." The computer's warning spurred the Bridge crew into action.

Tuvok was the first to recover, leaning over what remained of Tactical. "Hull breach on Deck Four, section twelve."

"Emergency containment!" Janeway barked, her own voice causing excruciating pain to sear through her head.

"No power to force fields. Emergency bulkheads have engaged."

"Evacuate the area!"

"With communications off-line, I will have to coordinate manually," the Vulcan offered solemnly.

"Do it!" Janeway felt bile rising in her throat, felt tears stinging her eyes as she watched her long-time friend open the Jeffries tube hatch concealed in the floor. The turbolifts would, of course, be inoperative with the power grid so badly damaged. She struggled desperately with reality in that moment. Janeway had always imagined that if her ship were ever destroyed, it would be in an heroic battle, _Voyager_ fighting with all her strength and dignity until the last shot was fired...

But not like this. Not being bombarded ruthlessly without provocation, with _Voyager_ unable to even defend herself.

_Why_...

"Kathryn..." Chakotay's voice surrounded her once more. He was behind her, one of his hands resting protectively on her back.

_I love you so much, Chakotay.._. she thought desperately as she closed her eyes, unable to meet his concerned gaze. _I never meant for things to end like this_...

The muffled sound of a brief struggle and a very angry voice reverberating through the open Jeffries tube snapped her attention back to the present. "OUT OF MY WAY, VULCAN!!"

"B'Elanna?" Paris murmured, turning away from his damaged console to look behind him.

The Klingon engineer burst through the open hatch, her jaw set and her eyes filled with unrestrained animosity. Her uniform jacket and turtleneck had been discarded at some point, leaving her dressed in a regulation Tee. Her body was covered with a thin layer of grime, the kind that could only be found on a dedicated engineer who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. Blood from a small cut was dripping down her left shoulder, but Torres was too preoccupied to even notice. "Those God damned P'tak!!" she spat as she marched down to the Conn, a small, rectangular device in her hands.

"B'Elanna?" Paris repeated, a touch of uncertainty in his voice as Torres approached him at full speed. His wife's gaze went right through him as her strong arms grabbed a hold of Paris's chair, sending it flying to the floor, pilot and all, before she dropped to her knees beside the console and violently ripped open a circuit panel underneath.

"Is everything still in place?" Torres yelled into the small device, oblivious to the shocked stares she was getting from the rest of the Bridge crew. She threw the instrument down and, after turning on a small wrist light, began yanking circuits out with her bare hands.

"What's going on, Lieutenant?" Janeway's curiosity was piqued, the devastation and air of helplessness momentarily disappearing.

Another crew member's voice, distant and filled with static, filtered through the device Torres had thrown to the floor, "Yes, sir."

Torres reached down and punched a button on the device. "Ready on my mark!" she spat.

"Is that one of my walkie-talkies?" Paris asked innocently from where he'd been shoved onto the floor.

"B'Elanna?" the captain demanded.

Torres flew to her feet and spun around, putting her nose to nose with her commanding officer. The younger woman was breathing deeply, nostrils flaring and fists clenched at her sides. "This ship is not going down like this... not while I'm on duty!" The words were punctuated with more hostility and confidence than Janeway had ever heard from her Chief Engineer. She wasn't sure whether to hug Torres or put her on report for behavior unbecoming of an officer. "You'll have power enough for one shot or a short burst of speed," the Klingon continued through clenched teeth. "You pick!"

"The power grid is down," Chakotay stated, clearly confused.

"I've jerry-rigged the power grid!" Torres hissed, barely keeping herself in check. "Once helm connections are restored and the grid is reinitialized, we'll either get a short burst of power or we'll light up a good portion of this sector and take a few of those bastards with us! Either way we're screwed, but I'd rather go out fighting!!"

"Captain!" Kim called. "I'm detecting a massive spatial phase variance! The readings are off the scale!"

"Phase variance?" the captain whispered.

"My God..." The bewilderment in Chakotay's voice caught Janeway's attention instantly. She followed his gaze to the viewscreen.

The serene starscape that had filled the screen moments before had been replaced by a bizarre twist of reality. The stars looked like they'd been blurred, stretched into streaks of radiant light. For a brief moment, Janeway wondered whether the warp engines had somehow engaged. But something was very, very different... bright flashes of color began bursting all around _Voyager_ , causing the space around them to sparkle dramatically. An instant later, something began to materialize in the midst of the visual chaos, surrounding _Voyager_ on both sides.

"What the hell is that?" Torres murmured softly, her anger forgotten as she stared in awe at the spectacle.

The captain's voice was barely audible as she called to her Operations officer. "Mister Kim?"

To his credit, the young Ensign had recovered quickly and was busy accessing what systems were still operative. "The space around us is experiencing a concentrated phase shift, Captain. According to sensors, there are two ships emerging from..." Kim paused, searching for the right words, "...from whatever phase alignment they came from."

The Bridge crew watched in fascination as the shimmering lights on screen coalesced into the solid structures of two of the most colossal ships they had ever encountered. Even a Borg cube would have appeared insignificant next to their leviathan mass. _Voyager_ was but a tiny speck of light set against the phenomenal backdrop that surrounded the lone Starfleet vessel. The ships were big enough to block out most of the surrounding space from their view, leaving only a thin slice of stars visible directly ahead in the distance. The effect was as terrifying as it was astonishing.

Janeway opened her mouth to speak, but her voice failed. The Bridge was completely silent, each individual lost in the moment. Paris had slowly pulled himself off the floor, only to stop dead in his tracks at the magnificent sight. In the background, the soft, static-filled voice of a concerned engineer suddenly filtered through the walkie-talkie, lying forgotten on the floor beneath the Conn. "Lieutenant Torres?"

Torres moved slowly toward the sound, never taking her eyes off the viewscreen. After fumbling blindly for the communications unit, she finally secured it and clicked one of the controls. "Stand by, Vorik."

"Now that's what I call a maneuvering challenge," Paris murmured softly.

Chakotay snapped himself away from the incredible scene long enough to return to his chair. "They've extended their shields around _Voyager_ , Captain," he informed, his fingers gliding across the data panel in front of him. "They've also locked a tractor beam onto us."

"Are we being pulled in?" Janeway asked, still staring in awe.

"No. The vessel on our starboard side has us in tow."

"The ships that were attacking us are retreating fast," Kim offered, his sense of duty returning in full.

Paris chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I'd be running the other way, too, if I could."

On the far side of the battle-scarred Bridge, a holographic transmission suddenly snapped to life, causing everyone's focus to shift away from the viewscreen. The figure that appeared before them was humanoid, definitely female, and undeniably beautiful. Her tall form was clothed in brilliant white robes which clearly reflected the power of authority. Her face was regal yet serene, dark eyes peering straight ahead as the holographic projection spoke for the first time.

"Greetings. I am Aysha, First Minister of the Navarri millennium ship Navila."

"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway..." Janeway began, only to be cut off as the woman continued.

"We are aware that your communications systems are non-functional. I apologize for the limitations of this method, but this was our only means of communicating with you."

"It's a one-way transmission, Captain," Kim explained as he examined readouts on his tricorder. "She can't see or hear us."

"Our security shield will continue to protect you until your systems are functioning properly. The Pganga should no longer be a threat to you. Their weapons are no match for our millennium ships.

"We have engineers and healers standing by to assist you if necessary, but we will not violate your physical space without permission. This is one of the precepts of my people which must be respected in any first encounter situation.

"Our sensors show that none of your crew members have sustained life-threatening injuries or are in any immediate danger at this time. Therefore, we will wait to receive communications from you regarding the next course of action. We await your transmission."

The holographic image fizzled away as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving the Bridge silent. Janeway recovered instantly, renewed hope in her voice. "B'Elanna, get back to Engineering. Communications and life support are your priorities, Tactical after that. We've been given another chance here, people, let's take advantage of it."

"Yes, ma'am," Torres responded respectfully, all traces of her hostility gone.

"Oh, and leave that device here," Janeway indicated the walkie-talkie in the engineer's hands. "I want constant updates even if communications aren't up yet. Mister Kim, you're with her." Kim nodded and made his way to the Jeffries tube entrance with Torres right on his heels.

"I'll have you know that's a genuine, all-purpose, water-proof field walkie-talkie, Captain," Paris announced proudly.

"Another of your twentieth century entertainment paraphernalia, Mister Paris?"

"Yes, ma'am," he grinned.

The captain nodded thoughtfully. "It's certainly going to make an interesting addition to this report. I just hope Starfleet has more of a sense of humor than I remember."

"Oh sure, you tell them, they realize what a great idea it is, and pretty soon it'll be standard equipment for the whole fleet. I probably won't even get credit for it." The twinkle in his eye was unmistakable.

"Sickbay, Mister Paris," Janeway ordered, a hint of a smile touching the corners of her mouth.

"Not until you agree to come with me," the pilot announced, his face serious once more.

"I'll second that," Chakotay piped in, stepping down beside her.

"I'm fine, gentlemen."

"I don't think so," Paris countered, emphasizing his point by reaching up to the cut on her head. She winced at his touch, her eyes refocusing on the blood covering his fingertips. "That's your second head wound today, Captain. The Doctor would have already removed you from duty if he was aware of the circumstances."

" _Voyager's_ not going anywhere, Kathryn," Chakotay spoke softly. "We're safe for the moment. You need to take care of yourself."

Janeway looked back and forth between the two men, scrutinizing the determination on their faces. She'd lost this one, and she knew it. Nodding in acquiescence, she took a deep breath. "I'll send the first few crew members we meet up here to help you."

"I'm not worried," Chakotay smiled.

"Be sure to keep apprised of Engineering's progress," she continued, handing Chakotay the walkie-talkie as Paris began guiding her, by the elbow, toward the Jeffries tube entrance.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Notify me as soon as communications are online."

"Yes, ma'am," Chakotay repeated, trying not to laugh at the amused look Paris shot him.

"And clean up the Bridge while you're at it, Chakotay," Paris chimed in, unable to help himself. "It's really a mess."

"Mister Paris."

"Aye, Captain."

~ * ~ * ~

Nearly three hours later, _Voyager's_ captain marched purposefully through the corridors, her first officer and husband-to-be at her side. "Have they beamed aboard yet?" she asked.

"Tuvok was just escorting them to the briefing room when I came to get you. We made contact about an hour ago after Engineering got deflector controls operational."

"What about internal communications?"

"Still inoperative," Chakotay informed, taking a moment to study the woman beside him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was run over by a Denebian freighter." Her brow was furrowed in concentration.

"That good, huh?" he grimaced, reaching to rub her back gently as they walked.

"Oh, it's not so much the physical pain," she explained wearily. "The ensuing confrontation with the Doctor was worse than both injuries combined."

"His prescription was in your best interest, Kathryn."

"Three hours of complete bed rest in the middle of a crisis?!" Her tone was incredulous.

"I know it must have been hard for you to comply."

"Comply my foot," she huffed. "The Doctor kept me busy arguing while Paris snuck up from behind. I never saw the hypospray coming. My medical department is conspiring to sabotage _Voyager's_ command structure."

"I bet they'd make a good pair for Talent Night, too," Chakotay chuckled.

"That's not funny."

"I'm sorry, Kathryn. I know you're angry. Tom had already sent someone up to the Bridge to inform me of the Doctor's plans. I knew all along you would be incapacitated for awhile, and I was in perfect agreement with his decision. Head injuries are nothing to fool around with."

"So, you were in on this, too," Janeway said softly. Chakotay heard the amused undertones in her voice and turned to look at her once more.

"Only because I love you."

She smiled warmly at his words, her eyes finding his as they came to a stop outside the now functional turbolift. "I love you, too, Chakotay. I'm sorry it took me so long to admit that."

"One should never question a blessing's motives," Chakotay began as he touched a button on the control panel. "It isn't important to know how or why. We should simply be grateful for the happiness the blessings offer us."

The smile on Janeway's face widened as she continued to watch her first officer. The doors opened beside them, revealing an empty turbolift, but neither of them moved to get on. "What?" Chakotay asked, clearly amused.

"You made that up." She still hadn't moved.

He laughed, thoroughly enjoying the light-hearted moment. "And if I did?"

"You do that a lot, I've noticed," Janeway teased, finally stepping inside the lift. Chakotay followed suit.

"I'm very good at it, too," he maintained.

"Yes, you are."

"Just one of my hidden talents."

The captain paused, allowing his statement to hang in the air a moment longer before responding wickedly, "Should I be blushing?"

Chakotay turned to look at her, pure mischief reflected in his dark eyes. "Yes," he said simply, an alluring combination of patience and confidence in his voice.

Janeway stood her ground proudly, not a flicker of uncontrolled emotion crossing her face as the lift doors began to close. Only the slight catch in her voice as she ordered their destination belied the adrenaline rush that was surging wildly through her system.

~ * ~ * ~

The small entourage of Navarri diplomats was waiting patiently when _Voyager's_ command team finally entered the briefing room. They were a tall race, with sharp, distinguished features. Their large, brown eyes reflected the peace and compassion of their nature as they looked upon the voyagers they'd saved from certain death.

"I deeply apologize for the delay of this assembly, First Minister," Janeway offered, bowing respectfully to the woman from the holographic projection.

The Navarri First Minister positively dwarfed _Voyager's_ captain, standing at least two shoulder-lengths taller. Her long, dark hair was pulled back, hanging in richly decorated braids to her waist. There was an air of unmistakable authority about her, though her composure was one that implied infinite patience. "There is no need for apologies, Captain Janeway," she began, her melodic voice filling the room. "We were quite aware that you were among the injured crew members. I trust you've been fully healed?"

"Yes I have, thank you. This is my First Officer, Commander Chakotay," Janeway introduced. "And this is Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, my Chief of Security." She waited respectfully for all Navarri introductions to be made before continuing. "On behalf of my crew, I wish to thank you for your selfless act of generosity."

"Your ship would not have lasted long against the Pganga," Aysha explained as everyone moved to take their seats. "They are a ruthless, war-like race whose power in this sector is considerable. It is recorded in our history that our ancestors had many hostile confrontations with them. It is not in their nature to be reasonable."

"The Lifeless Ones?" Chakotay asked, repeating Neelix's description.

"They are often described in such a manner, yes."

"Well," Janeway offered, "you certainly appeared in the nick of time."

"We apologize for not being able to assist you sooner," the First Minister began. "Slowing our phase engines to anchor in a specific dimension requires careful calibration. If we don't begin the braking sequence at just the right time, we can easily overshoot our target."

"Your phase shifting technology is quite impressive," Tuvok remarked.

"Our technology, while extraordinary in its own right, was born out of necessity, I'm afraid." The look on Aysha's face was one of deep regret. "In order for us to exist, we must not remain in any one dimension for an extended period of time."

"Our people have always been nomadic, existing in ships built to carry several generations," the Navarri called Radin continued the explanation. "We are also primarily a scientific society. Nearly eight hundred years ago, an experiment was undertaken in an attempt to harness some of the energy from a collapsed neutron star."

"A black hole..." Janeway's scientific curiosity was on full alert.

"The experiment met with disastrous results." Radin's eyes clouded as he spoke. "The black hole emitted a massive surge of vertroid radiation that engulfed the entire Navarri fleet. Our ancestors began to die... very quickly."

A shudder ran up Janeway's spine. The Federation had only encountered that type of radiation a handful of times, and each one had resulted in a great deal of death and destruction. Vertroid radiation was unquestionably very rare, very unstable, and extremely deadly.

"At that same time, another group of our scientists and engineers was experimenting with modulating the resonance frequency of matter. The most startling discovery from those experiments was not how to shift matter from one dimension to another, but rather the lack of radiation-induced cell degeneration experienced by the people working on the project."

"The phase shifting somehow stopped the radiation from doing any cell damage?" Chakotay asked.

"Not exactly stopped," Aysha explained further. "It was determined that the phase shifting was affecting all matter in close proximity to the experiments, and that cell degeneration was actually occurring, but at near imperceptible levels."

Inspired by the eager look in the captain's eye, Radin continued with a more scientific approach. "Phase shifting places matter into an alternate dimension which intersects the original four-dimensional space-time in three dimensions only — two spatial and one time. So, for those involved with the experiments, contact with the harmful radiation was greatly reduced."

"Needless to say, steps were taken to ensure that our people would live," the First Minister finished. "That particular experiment was a success, but the chance to survive didn't come without a price.

"The vertroid radiation caused a number of mutations in the cell structures of those who survived the initial exposure. The effects of long-term phase shifting only added to that. We are no longer in danger from the radiation that forced our ancestors to begin their fateful journey, but the genetic mutations that came about as a result have made it impossible for the Navarri to ever exist permanently in a single dimension."

"A very precarious existence, at best," Janeway offered sadly. "But, aren't you placing yourselves in grave danger by being here with us now?"

Aysha smiled. "Our grace period for remaining anchored in one dimension is roughly four hours. If we stay any longer than that, our cell structures will begin to deteriorate. Until that time, however, we are quite safe, I assure you."

"You're running very close to that time limit right now," Chakotay cautioned.

"Yes," Radin agreed. "The millennium ship Dargha has no doubt shifted already, and the Navila must follow very soon. But, you needn't worry about protection, Captain. The rest of our fleet is aware of your circumstances and is more than willing to offer you the same assistance that we have. When one of our ships phase shifts out, there will be another waiting to shift in and anchor beside you in this dimension. The Navarri will be honored to escort you out of this sector."

"You're being incredibly compassionate to us," the captain expressed warmly, a touch of sadness still in her eyes. "Is there anything we may do for you in return?"

"Believe me, Captain Janeway, your very presence is reward enough." Aysha's eyes sparkled as she continued. "Living an existence which requires one to shift dimensions constantly does not leave much time to get to know others very well. We have made contact with precious few species, as most flee in terror when we appear out of nowhere. Just being able to share a bit of friendship with someone other than our own people is a wonderful gift to us."

Janeway smiled. "Friendship is something we do have to offer in abundance. With the assistance of Navarri engineers, we should be close to having our repairs completed within a few days. It's a shame we won't be able to express our appreciation properly with a reception aboard _Voyager_."

"We would be happy to pass along such an invitation to the millennium ship that will be here with you at that time," the First Minister smiled. "I'm sure they would be honored to attend."

"Very well," the captain nodded. "We look forward to meeting more of your people, First Minister. Thank you once again for coming to our aid. You will be remembered with gratitude."

"It is unfortunate we didn't have time to fully explore each of our cultures, Captain Janeway. I am told that you and your crew have a long journey ahead of you. May that journey be swift and peaceful."

Aysha held her hand out to Janeway who accepted the gesture of friendship warmly. After exchanging farewells, Tuvok escorted the Navarri back to the transporter room, leaving _Voyager's_ commanding officers to their thoughts.

"My God, Chakotay, can you imagine their existence?" Janeway walked slowly to the observation window, staring with renewed awe at the massive ship that filled her view. Chakotay moved to stand beside her.

"They must have one hell of an engineering crew," he confided softly.

"How many times have we been stranded in one spot for longer than four hours because of technical problems? If our lives depended on our ability to keep moving, we wouldn't be here right now..." she trailed off, shaking her head in disbelief.

Chakotay reached for Janeway's hand, his fingers entwining tightly with hers as they continued to watch the alien vessel. "Another blessing we should be thankful for."

"I won't argue with you on that one."

"Do you realize it's the middle of the night?" he asked suddenly.

The captain's eyes narrowed. "That's hard for me to say. My sense of time has been impaired somewhat considering I've spent most of the last several hours either knocked out or drugged."

Chakotay's laughter rang loudly through the briefing room. "Now that's the Kathryn I know and love."

Janeway gave in, chuckling softly at her own words. Her grip on his hand tightened as she turned to look at him. "You're not really that tired, are you, Chakotay?"

His laughter died away quickly, though the smile remained firmly in place. "I could do without sleep for a little while longer. What did you have in mind?" He pulled her close, then, wrapping his arms gently around her. She responded in kind, stroking his face and chest with eager fingertips. He'd just moved in for their very first kiss when Janeway finally spoke.

"The Bridge really is a mess; Paris wasn't kidding," she replied thoughtfully. Her gaze moved down to where her fingers were tracing delicate patterns on his uniform. "It's essential that _Voyager's_ command center be fully functional as soon as possible. I was hoping to get a head start on that."

"You're not kidding?" he concluded after a moment's pause. She looked back up at him, a touch of surprise in her eyes.

"I'm completely serious."

The comm system came to life suddenly. "Torres to Janeway."

The captain slapped her combadge. "Janeway here. Internal communications are up!"

"Yes, ma'am. My report on how we pulled it off will be as long as a novel, I'm afraid," Torres explained. "Everything down here is messed up pretty badly."

"Understood. Any chance you can spare a few people to help us get the Bridge operational?"

"Vorik and Carey are already on their way."

"Good work, Lieutenant. Keep me updated."

"Aye, Captain."

Janeway disengaged herself from Chakotay's embrace with one last caress across his cheek before heading for the door. When she didn't hear her first officer following, she turned around. "Are you coming?"

He smiled again, a slightly dazed look on his face. "Absolutely."

The captain studied him intently as he walked toward her. "You do look a bit worn out, Chakotay. Why don't you make yourself a cup of tea before we start?"

"Oh, you're wicked," he grinned, catching on instantly.

She burst out laughing as they made their way to the door. "Just one of my hidden talents..."

~ * ~ * ~

Janeway woke slowly, savoring the warmth of her covers as she burrowed even further in their embrace. She felt more relaxed than she had in a long time despite the slight aches and pains left over from the previous evening's injuries and repair work. Taking a deep breath, she stretched leisurely, finally allowing her eyes to open.

It was darker than usual in her quarters. The presence of one of the millennium ships just outside her view port had been too distracting when she'd finally turned in, so she'd opted to have the computer dim the transparent aluminum, effectively blocking most of the scene from her view.

_Voyager's_ engines were still silent, the ever-present hum missing from the background. Yet, she found herself feeling strangely peaceful amid all these unfamiliar sights and sounds. Her crew was safe, her ship was protected and being repaired as efficiently as possible. She felt calm and in complete control — a feeling very rarely enjoyed during the last five years.

Janeway stared at the ceiling, breathing deeply and relishing in the sense of peace that surrounded her. A slow smile formed on her face as she thought about her first officer. "I'm going to marry that man," she whispered, causing a tingle of anticipation to run up her spine. The smile gradually turned into a soft chuckle. "But not before I thoroughly torture him..."

Rolling over, she refocused her eyes on the chronometer to see exactly how much time she had before her wake-up chime sounded. The peace and quiet came to a crashing halt as she bolted to a sitting position.

"Twelve hundred hours?!!"

Adrenaline once again surged through her system, only this time it was fed by anger. Throwing off the covers, she flew from her bed. "Computer!" she called. "I requested a wake-up chime at 0700 this morning."

"Your wake-up chime was canceled at 0500 hours," the computer responded obediently.

"By whose authority?"

"Medical override, authorization Gamma One."

The string of profanity that echoed through the captain's quarters as she readied herself for duty would have stunned even Tuvok.

~ * ~ * ~

"The relay junction is just around the corner," Torres pointed down the corridor. Harry Kim was right beside her, scanning with his tricorder. Both of them carried portable tool kits over their shoulders.

"If the circuits are fused, we're in for some problems getting any reliable power to the Bridge," Kim replied.

"Tell me about it. It's going to take more time than we thought to get all this straightened out. I can't believe how much damage was done."

Both the young officers looked up in time to see Janeway marching down the corridor in their direction, a look of pure venom on her face. The captain's focus was elsewhere, though, her eyes piercing through some point behind them. Torres and Kim separated, both of them flattening against their respective sides of the corridor as Janeway barreled past without any kind of acknowledgement. They watched her go, staying firmly in place until their commanding officer had cleared a corner further down.

Kim looked questioningly at Torres. "Tom?"

"Most likely," she offered nonchalantly. "The Captain probably got a hold of the betting pool results. Some of the entries were pretty nasty."

_Voyager's_ young Operations officer laughed softly. "I'm starting to think he likes getting into trouble."

"Don't be fooled — he loves every minute of it. I'm just surprised she hasn't busted him down to Crewman yet."

"It's still a long way to the Alpha Quadrant," Kim grinned.

Torres snorted in response. "This is true..."

~ * ~ * ~

The Bridge was beginning to look normal again. A small crew of engineers, including several Navarri, was working dutifully on the repairs. Janeway scanned their progress as she stepped off the turbolift.

"Captain on the Bridge," someone called. Work stopped as her crew stood to acknowledge her presence respectfully. The anger she'd felt dissipated instantly, the loyalty of her officers wrapping around her like a warm blanket. Tom Paris and Tuvok were present, each of them having crawled out from under their respective consoles. Between Paris's cocky grin and Tuvok's raised eyebrows, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry out of happiness.

"As you were," she ordered softly. Tuvok approached her as the rest of the crew resumed their work with quiet efficiency.

"Are you well rested, Captain?"

"Yes, I am, thank you, Tuvok," she replied. "Where is Chakotay?"

"The Commander is helping to realign EPS conduits on Deck Eight. Shall I have him report to the Bridge?"

"That's not necessary. Why don't you brief me in my Ready Room; I'm in desperate need of some coffee right now."

"I'm afraid the replicators are still offline," the Vulcan stated calmly as he followed her through the Bridge.

Janeway groaned audibly. "Do you think Neelix has any in the Mess Hall?"

"Since I do not partake of that particular beverage, it would be difficult for me to answer your question."

The captain grinned as they entered her Ready Room. "I suppose I can do without it for awhile longer. What's our status?"

"The Navarri millennium ship Xonora currently has us in tow. They phase shifted into our dimension approximately 1.2 hours ago. Repair work is proceeding ahead of schedule, due mostly to Navarri assistance," the Vulcan began. "Both impulse and warp engines are still inoperative, though I have assurances from Lieutenant Torres that they will be functioning before the end of her duty shift, ' _come hell or high water_.'"

Janeway fought the urge to laugh as he continued, shifting her attention to her cluttered desktop as she sat down.

"All of the microfractures sustained during the attack have been sealed, and all ruptured plasma conduits repaired. Communications have been reestablished in full, and repairs to the main power grid are nearly completed. However, several major relays have sustained severe damage, impairing full power flow to many of _Voyager's_ primary systems, including Tactical. Best estimates indicate that full power should be reestablished, ship-wide, no later than 1900 hours tomorrow."

"Have there been any security issues concerning the Navarri?" she asked.

"None. They have complied with all Starfleet regulations with regard to their presence aboard this vessel. In fact, they have been submitting reports to our security staff at the end of each shift, accounting for the whereabouts and actions of each Navarri engineer. I took the liberty of cross-checking their reports with our internal sensor logs, and, thus far, there have been no discrepancies."

"Somehow, I don't think we'll have to worry too much. All of their actions indicate they are an extremely amiable species," Janeway smiled. "We owe them a great deal."

Tuvok raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. "Indeed. I am rather impressed with their demeanor."

"You? Impressed?" she teased, her eyes lighting up. "That's one for the record books, Tuvok." His other eyebrow shot straight up into his hairline.

"If I may, Captain, I would like to clarify another shipboard issue," the Vulcan requested after a moment's pause.

"Of course."

"I have heard numerous rumors regarding you and Commander Chakotay..." he began hesitantly.

Janeway paused before responding. "The Commander and I will be getting married, Tuvok. The rumors you heard are true." Her face had grown serious as she spoke. A part of her had been dreading this confrontation. Tuvok was not only one of her closest friends, but he was the voice of reason, her moral compass, as she had once called him. He was also a stickler for Starfleet protocol. A personal relationship between a commanding officer and one of his or her crew was a matter of some concern.

"I know what you're going to say," she continued, unable to meet his gaze at that moment. "Starfleet is adamantly against starship captains being personally involved with members of their crew, and to a certain extent I agree with that.

"In the Alpha Quadrant, the chain of command must not be compromised for any reasons, including personal ones. But, we're a long way from home, Tuvok, and it may be a long time before we get back there. I have no backup. All I have are the regulations, both written and unwritten, all of which I must adhere to without reinforcement from those in charge. That's a hell of a lot to ask of one person.

"Chakotay offered me a compromise. Instead of facing the rest of this journey alone, I have the chance to stand with someone whom I care a great deal about. Out here," she gestured toward the observation window, "we've needed to bend the rules a bit in order to ensure our survival. Starfleet probably won't like some of the orders I've given, but in the long run, they've served to try and keep us safe while still upholding Starfleet principals in every way possible. This is another one of those decisions for me, and in my opinion, there's room for the rules to be amended given our circumstances. I don't want to spend the next fifty years alone..."

The Vulcan studied her intently as she finished, a momentary spark of concern flashing through his otherwise emotionless exterior. "Your perceptions are quite insightful, Captain, but my intention was not to debate the validity of your decision."

Janeway looked up at him then, a hint of sadness still clouding her blue eyes. "It wasn't?"

"I have been acquainted with you for nearly ten years now. During that time, I have experienced many facets of your personality, both personal and professional. In the last five years, I have seen you perform at peak efficiency, and I have also watched you enjoy a level of personal happiness that I had not previously witnessed, despite the gravity of our situation. When approached from a logical standpoint, the only common denominator in this case appears to be Commander Chakotay.

"Your decisions in the past have proven very beneficial for the crew's well-being. I do not believe this one will be any different. My intent was not to dissuade you from this course of action, but rather to offer my congratulations and best wishes for your continued happiness."

Janeway's eyes filled with tears as she listened. She'd been expecting many things from such a conversation, but this hadn't been one of them. "Thank you, Tuvok," she whispered, unable to find her voice. "You have no idea how much your blessing means to me." The Vulcan bowed his head slightly in a silent gesture of respect.

"Chakotay to Janeway," the first officer's voice filtered through the comm system.

Wiping her eyes, the captain cleared her throat and acknowledged the hail. "Go ahead, Chakotay."

"Two of the Navarri engineers have been injured, Captain. Nothing serious, but I thought you'd want to be notified."

"Thank you, Commander. I'll be right there."

"I'll see you in Sickbay then. Chakotay out."

"Oh, the fun never ends, does it?" Janeway stated with a weary smile. Tuvok raised his eyebrows once more. "Never mind," she chuckled, getting up from her desk. "This one's definitely not worth explaining."

"Indeed," was all he offered.

~ * ~ * ~

By the time Janeway arrived in Sickbay, Tom Paris was already there helping to treat the Navarri, as well as one of _Voyager's_ own engineers. The pilot was grinning from ear to ear as he listened to the Doctor holding a rather heated discussion over the comm system with Lieutenant Torres regarding the very obvious malfunction taking place with his program: the EMH's voice sounded like he'd been inhaling helium for awhile. In the midst of it all stood Commander Chakotay, looking very much like he wanted to start laughing.

As soon as Chakotay saw the captain enter, he quickly cleared his throat and moved to greet her. "What's going on?" she asked softly.

"You don't want to know," he replied.

"What do you mean 'later'?" squeaked the Doctor impatiently. Paris almost succeeded in stifling the fit of giggles that came out as he listened.

"That's just what I mean," Torres spat through the comm. "We've got enough to worry about right now without your holographic vocal chords getting in the way. You're just going to have to wait! Torres out."

The Navarri were observing the scene quietly as they were treated, confused gazes going back and forth between the vocally impaired Doctor and the amused pilot. The EMH hurumphed loudly, the sound coming out more like a wheeze.

Janeway moved closer to where the action was. "Doctor."

"I'm sorry, Captain," the Doctor grumbled. "As you can see, I have neither the time nor the voice to argue with you right now."

"Actually, I'm here for an update on our guests," she explained, smiling warmly at the tall aliens. They both smiled back, grateful to see someone who acted normally.

"Some minor lacerations, a mild concussion, and a fractured rib. They'll live."

"Part of an EPS relay gave way in Jeffries Tube twenty-nine," Chakotay explained. "These three were caught underneath when it came down."

"I'm glad to see everyone's okay," Janeway offered, finally turning back to the EMH. "Doctor, I've noticed your voice is a bit... off?"

Paris was doing a poor job of hiding his amusement. "He sounds like Speedy Gonzales."

"Speedy who?" asked Chakotay.

"Speedy Gonzales. A cartoon character from the latter half of the twentieth century."

The Doctor was mortified. "You're comparing my highly sophisticated, technologically advanced medical program, conceived by the greatest minds in Starfleet, to an archaic form of visual entertainment created for children?"

"Be nice, Mister Paris," Janeway warned, only the laughter in her eyes betraying her true thoughts.

"Yes, ma'am," the pilot grinned.

"There is a glitch in my vocal subroutine," the EMH explained, sounding quite exasperated. "I don't know what's causing it, but I would appreciate a little cooperation in finding out."

"As soon as someone is available, Doctor, you'll be our first priority," the captain assured him.

"Thank you! It's nice to know someone is listening."

The doors to Sickbay opened, admitting a very worried Talaxian. He rushed over to the biobeds, confidently placing himself between the two medics. "I came down as soon as I heard there were injuries," he explained, offering a smile to the two Navarri. "What can I do to help?"

"You've had approximately thirty minutes of basic first aid training, Mister Neelix," the Doctor emphasized. "You can help by going back to the Mess Hall."

"You mean I can't get you a hypospray or dermal regenerator? A med tray?" The furry Talaxian stared at the Doctor suspiciously.

"Thanks, Neelix, but we've got everything under control," Paris offered politely.

"Well, okay... if you're sure?" the Talaxian rambled, still observing the EMH carefully. "Your voice sounds awfully strange, Doctor."

"It's a new experiment," Paris snickered. "The Doc wants to see if laughter really is the best medicine."

The EMH glared at Paris. Chakotay started to chuckle, but was cut off as the captain elbowed him gently.

"Mister Paris," Janeway warned once more, her command tone firmly in place this time.

"Well, I think that's a wonderful idea!" Neelix beamed as the doors on the other end of the room slid open once more.

Seven of Nine marched in with her usual air of indifference. She was holding her right hand gingerly, two of the fingers resting at odd angles. "I am damaged," she announced arrogantly to the Doctor. "Please repair me."

Neelix took one look at the former Borg's broken fingers and fainted dead away, the resounding thud echoing loudly. Paris and Chakotay scrambled to help the Talaxian onto a biobed while the Doctor pretended to ignore everyone, his full attention on the Navarri he was treating. "Some days it just doesn't pay to leave the comfort of my buffer," he murmured softly.

Janeway closed her eyes, rubbing them roughly in exasperation. She wanted to laugh at the whole situation, but knew it would only make things worse. The two injured Navarri were already getting an interesting impression of _Voyager's_ crew.

"Doctor?" Seven asked impatiently.

"Pull up a biobed, Seven. Someone will be right with you," the EMH acknowledged.

Chakotay walked back over to Janeway and touched her shoulder gently, a questioning look on his face. "You okay?"

The captain smiled up at him. "I think it's time for me to make a graceful exit," she whispered. He grinned in response. She turned back to her crew briefly. "Carry on, gentlemen." Reaching over, she squeezed the shoulder of the nearest Navarri engineer, acknowledging him with another smile before turning to leave. Chakotay followed her out into the corridor.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked softly.

"Don't tell me the canceled wake-up chime was your idea?"

"It was, actually. You looked very tired when we finished early this morning and I thought you could use the extra rest. It didn't take much to convince the Doctor."

"Now everyone's conspiring against me," she complained.

"Let me make it up to you?"

"How?" She was watching him suspiciously, a smirk beginning to form at the corner of her mouth.

"Dinner, tonight, my place, I'll cook?"

"Dinner, tonight, my place, you cook," Janeway corrected, finally allowing the smile to show.

"Why your place?" he asked.

"Because I don't want any of the crew to see me in the outfit I'll be wearing." She raised her eyebrows provocatively and began walking toward the turbolift, not waiting for his response.

_Voyager's_ first officer continued to stare at the space his future wife had just occupied, a completely dumbstruck look on his face. By the time he finally looked down the corridor, she was already on the turbolift. He only caught a glimpse of her before the doors closed, but the twinkle he saw in Kathryn Janeway's eyes was unmistakable.

~ * ~ * ~

_Because I don't want any of the crew to see me in the outfit I'll be wearing..._

Those seventeen words had caused a multitude of visuals to form in Chakotay's mind during the rest of his duty shift, and not all of them had been particularly innocent. He trusted Kathryn with his life, and he had the utmost respect for her as a commanding officer and as a human being. But, he also knew she had a streak of mischief in her that would make even Tom Paris proud. That left the interpretation of her words entirely up in the air. His curiosity would be satisfied soon enough, of course, but the speculation was driving him crazy.

Sexy, skin-tight dress? he wondered with a wry grin as he checked his appearance in the mirror one last time. Leather teddy? His heart skipped a beat as he tried in vain to keep the corresponding visual from popping into his head. Color flushed his cheeks, and his first reaction was to completely subdue that playful line of thinking. But, then he stopped himself from doing so. This wasn't just the captain of _Voyager_ he was thinking about; this was his future wife. There was nothing wrong with him indulging his curiosity in such a manner. If Kathryn Janeway's passion for life was any indication of what the intimate side of her was like, he was in for one hell of an adventure, something he was very much looking forward to.

Chakotay glanced at the chronometer. It was two minutes until show time. "I'm actually a bit nervous," he chuckled, wondering if Kathryn was experiencing the same flutters in her stomach. He pondered on that a moment longer before offering himself an answer. "Well, there's only one way to find out." Smiling, he turned and headed for the door.

Exactly thirty seconds later, he stood in front of the captain's quarters, waiting patiently for an answer to his chime. The door slid open almost immediately, allowing him entry. Once inside, he looked around expectantly. Janeway was nowhere to be found.

"I'll be right out," she called from the other room in answer to his silent question.

"I'll be waiting," Chakotay called back, grinning to himself. He took a deep breath as he looked around her living area. It was bigger than most, of course, but beyond that, she didn't seem to allow herself too much in the way of luxuries. Her furniture was standard regulation just like everyone else's, and the decorations managed to convey the warmth of her personality and love of life without being overly excessive. Her quarters were simple and efficient, with just enough Kathryn Janeway thrown in to make it feel like home.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Janeway's voice startled him back to the moment. Turning around, he finally got an answer to the questions that had seductively haunted him for the last eight hours.

She was leaning against the door frame that led to her bedroom, a playful smile lighting up her face. Her long hair had been freed of its usual restraints, flowing loosely over her shoulders with just a gentle touch of curl at the ends. She was wearing a sleeveless, black dress that came to about mid-calf, with a generous slit up the right side that left her knee almost fully exposed to his appreciative gaze. It wasn't skin-tight by any means, but it definitely hugged her in all the right places. All of the gentle curves usually hidden behind thick, regulation material were beautifully displayed by her simple outfit, which managed to convey just the right amount of subtle sensuality. He was pleasantly surprised to find that she hadn't applied extra make-up, leaving her normal look in place even for this special occasion. Without a doubt, she looked more beautiful than he ever could have imagined.

"You're staring, Commander," Janeway teased.

"You'll have to forgive me," Chakotay replied with a grin. "I think I've just fallen in love all over again." He watched as a blush spread rapidly across her face, her smile widening even further. "That was a good call, insisting we have dinner here," he continued. "I definitely don't want any competition."

She was fidgeting under his careful scrutiny and words of praise, long fingers absently pulling at strands of her hair and the material of her dress. It had obviously been a long time since anyone had paid attention to Kathryn, the woman. Chakotay smiled as the realization occurred to him. He could certainly have a lot of fun with that tonight.

"Thank you," she expressed, still smiling at him.

"You look breathtaking, Kathryn," he offered softly, allowing his eyes to wander up and down her form. Yes, he was definitely going to have fun with this...

She took a deep breath before attempting to change the subject. "I thought you were going to cook us dinner?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Mmmm," she nodded.

He smiled once more. "Computer. Execute command Chakotay Omega Six."

Janeway raised an eyebrow as a transporter beam engulfed her dining table, leaving behind a complete romantic dinner ensemble for two, candles and all. "Italian," she commented delightedly, her mouth watering at the sight of the salad, pasta, and freshly baked garlic and herb bread.

"One of my hidden talents," Chakotay replied dryly.

"You didn't replicate all this, did you?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

He laughed. "I admit to replicating the ingredients, but the final product is all my fault."

Her smile returned in full. "It smells delicious, Chakotay, thank you. What's this we're drinking?" She reached for the odd-shaped bottle that rested between the dinner settings.

"I don't indulge in spirits, and I wasn't certain whether you enjoyed wine, so I thought I'd play it safe," he answered. "It's a bottle of Moonberry-flavored Altair Water."

"Perfect," she grinned at him, allowing her eyes to convey much more than her words.

Chakotay felt his adrenaline revving up as he met her mischievous gaze. She looked positively radiant tonight, totally at ease and unguarded. It's about time she allowed herself this kind of enjoyment, he smiled inwardly. She'd definitely spent too many years locked in command mode with not enough time for herself. From this day forth, he vowed to make sure her life included more of a healthy balance. Keeping this beautiful creature sequestered behind four shiny pips, twenty-four hours a day, was undeniably a crime.

As he watched her, he said a silent prayer to his ancestors for their continued guidance, and for helping to bestow such a miraculous gift upon him. He was a lucky man.

"Shall we eat?" Janeway asked, finally breaking eye contact with him. He could tell by her body language that she was once again flustered by his shameless scrutiny.

"Of course," he offered with a smile. He proceeded to open the Altair Water, pouring each of them a generous amount before taking his seat. "Do you realize this is our first official date?"

Janeway grinned as she finished breaking off a piece of the bread. "We seem to have mixed up the sequence a bit, haven't we? Usually the engagement comes after the first date."

"It is kind of fun to break from tradition, don't you think?"

"Definitely interesting," she chuckled, trailing off into silence. Her face became serious then. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

"You're thinking about Starfleet," he stated quietly, taking an educated guess.

Janeway finally looked up, confusion momentarily clouding her blue-grays. "This really does go against protocol, Chakotay."

"We could wear uniforms next time."

She burst out laughing, her face lighting up once more as she playfully shoved his leg with her own under the table. "Our engagement, not the dinner, you nut!"

He smiled calmly. "I believe you said it best a few days ago, Kathryn: 'They'll just have to deal with our decision when we get home.' Starfleet certainly can't blame us for acting on our feelings, not when the alternative could very well be fifty years of solitude."

Janeway had become quiet again as she listened. "They will expect that any decisions made under extenuating circumstances such as these will have been done in the best interest of the crew. I'm not certain that personal decisions fall into that category, especially ones that go against regulations, spoken or unspoken."

"You don't think having a happy, fulfilled commanding officer will benefit the crew in any way?" he asked carefully.

There was a touch of sadness in her eyes as she looked at him. "There are so many variables, Chakotay, both personal and professional. On a personal level, I'm going to spend the rest of this journey sending the man I love into potentially dangerous situations."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take, Kathryn," he assured her gently. "The rewards will far outweigh the risks; that much I know."

She looked back down to her plate of food. "Yes, I know, but it won't be easy."

"I've never known Kathryn Janeway to back down from a difficult situation," Chakotay commented, a distinctive twinkle in his eye.

She smiled, but didn't look up at him right away. "You have a point."

"We'll deal with things one day at a time — that's all we can do. But, it will be a lot easier if we deal with them together."

"Then there's the professional side of the argument," she continued, the smile still in place. "Some of the junior officers might feel I'm giving you preferential treatment because you're my husband."

"Of course you'll give me preferential treatment," Chakotay grinned. "I'm the first officer, and I demand nothing less." He waited until she finally met his gaze once more before continuing. "With all this crew has been through together, I can't imagine any of them thinking like that, Kathryn. We're more than a crew; we're a family. You've kept them safe for five long years out here. They trust your decisions, and they just want to see you happy."

"In other words, you believe Mister Paris?" she asked, making reference to the young pilot's heartfelt confession in her Ready Room two days ago.

Chakotay looked up at the ceiling, pretending to think hard. "I hate to admit it, but I guess I do."

"I don't mean for all this to sound like I'm regretting my decision, Chakotay," Janeway assured him. "When I said I wanted to be your wife, I meant it with all my heart, and there's nothing that will stop me from fulfilling that promise. It's just going to take some time for me to accept the possible consequences of my actions. I've never challenged Starfleet protocol so blatantly before."

"Somehow, I think you'll have plenty of time to prepare your arguments before we're herded to the debriefing chambers at Starfleet HQ."

Smiling, she reached across the table and twined her fingers with his, squeezing his hand gently. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied, his feelings shining brightly in his dark eyes. "I'm curious, though. What made you decide to say yes to me, even with the weight of regulations hanging over your shoulders?"

"Someone I respect a great deal told me to follow my heart... so I did."

"That person is very wise."

"Yes, he is," she agreed, squeezing his hand once more. Looking down, she inspected her dinner plate with renewed interest. "We need to dig in before this gets cold." Chakotay's stomach grumbled softly on cue, causing them both to laugh. The rest of their dinner was finished in companionable silence, their meaningful glances and gentle touches saying far more than words ever could.

Several hours later, _Voyager's_ commanding officers lounged on the sofa, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and good company. Janeway literally purred as her first officer massaged her left foot, experienced fingers working all the tension out of tired muscles.

"You should put a patent on those hands," she smiled, eyes closed in pleasure.

He chuckled. "They belong entirely to you."

Janeway stretched luxuriously as he continued his ministrations. "This is heaven." Her whisper caused goose bumps to form on his neck and shoulders. She was partially reclined, leaning back against two large pillows, one arm resting above her head while the other relaxed on her stomach. He allowed himself to study her from his vantage point, eyes wandering shamelessly over the length of her. She was much more petite than he'd realized before. The uniform and command presence no doubt made Kathryn Janeway much larger than life while on duty. But now, as she rested before him, completely relaxed and at ease, he saw her for the incredibly beautiful and vulnerable woman she really was.

There was a gentle smile on her face as she enjoyed his touch, making her seem far less like the fearless leader who had stared down the Borg not too long ago. Her arms, even in their relaxed state, sported well-defined muscles, as did her legs. She obviously kept herself in better shape than he'd imagined. The body beneath her dress was firm, yet soft in all the right places. She had the most beautiful hourglass shape, something normally hidden by her uniform. His eyes slid deliciously over her tiny, curvaceous hips, coming to rest on her small, but firm bosom. She was most definitely an exquisite woman...

"Enjoying the view?" Her voice startled him. His eyes snapped up to meet her own, now open and sparkling with amusement.

His face flushed a deep crimson as he fumbled for a reasonable excuse for his indiscretion. "I'm sorry, Kathryn... I..."

"It's all right, Chakotay," she offered with a smile. "I can't possibly blame you any more than you can blame me for stealing looks at your rear end when nobody is watching."

"When you think nobody is watching," he corrected, a grin spreading across his own face.

It was her turn to blush. "You're awful," she chuckled.

"You're worse."

"You're right..."

They laughed softly, both of them pausing when a gentle hum suddenly filtered through the ship, pulsating through each and every bulkhead. The main engines had just come back online.

Sitting up, Janeway reached out to touch the transparent aluminum of her viewport, allowing the distant vibration of the engines to travel through her fingertips and into her body. "That's a beautiful sound, isn't it?" she whispered.

"Yes, it is," Chakotay responded, marveling at the deep connection she shared with her ship. "We'll have to rename her _Old Faithful_ when we get back to the Alpha Quadrant."

Janeway smiled, looking back at him. The intensity of the moment began to deepen instantly. Their eyes slowly devoured each other, the sexual tension in the air nearly palpable. Chakotay had never wanted someone so badly in his entire life. She didn't make things any better by subtly licking her lower lip at just the right moment, either. He wasn't aware that he'd groaned out loud until Janeway burst out laughing, her whole body shaking with the effort. He closed his eyes in embarrassment, but couldn't stop himself from joining in the amusement.

_You think that's funny, Kathryn?_ he thought wickedly, right before beginning a tickle assault on the foot in his lap. She shrieked in a most un-captainly manner at his touch, squirming to get away from him.

"No!" she screeched, still laughing.

"Kathryn Janeway is ticklish?" Chakotay announced over the sound of her laughter.

"No!!... Yes!!!" She was struggling to disengage herself from his grasp while keeping her body respectably covered by the dress... and failing miserably. Chakotay managed to witness a few intimate details beneath the black material, once more sending his body into overdrive. "Chakotay!!"

Recognizing the desperation in her voice, he stopped tickling, still holding her left foot protectively in his hands. Janeway gasped for breath, watching him warily. He just grinned at her. "I wonder what the Kazon would have paid for this kind of tactical information?"

A chuckle began from deep inside her. "Somehow, I can't see the Kazon tickling anyone to death."

The tension was returning as they continued to watch one another, their eyes speaking a thousand words. "Come here," he ordered softly, letting go of her foot and holding a hand out to her. She complied immediately, allowing herself to be pulled into his waiting arms. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, running an index finger gently down the side of her face. Janeway shivered involuntarily, continuing to stare deeply into his eyes. Chakotay was just moving in for a kiss when she opened her mouth to speak.

"Do you know what I'd really like right now?" she asked, her voice husky.

"Anything..." Their lips were just millimeters apart, breath mingling seductively. Janeway could feel his body responding to her proximity, the feel of him sending chills of excitement through her.

"Dance with me?"

Chakotay was momentarily stunned. He stared at her questioningly, but the only response he got was the twinkle of mischief in her eyes. _Damn you, Kathryn. All I want is ONE kiss!_ He began chuckling softly as she wriggled out of his arms and pulled him to a standing position. Barefoot, she only came to about his shoulders, causing her to crane her neck as she watched him.

"Computer, we need some romantic music," she called, grinning playfully at her significant other.

"Please specify parameters."

"Nat King Cole. Set volume to level three."

Janeway led her first officer away from the sofa as the first chords of _Mona Lisa_ filtered softly through the room. He gathered her gently in his arms and their dance began. They moved slowly, neither of them breaking eye contact with the other. She could tell he was frustrated. She could also tell he was enjoying the chase immensely, delighting in every twist she threw at him.

Chakotay grinned at her as they moved to the music. Sly... she was definitely sly. She knew damn well what he wanted, and in typical Janeway form, she was going to make him work good and hard for it. _Well_ , he thought wryly, _two can play that game..._

In a swift, yet graceful move, he pulled her closer, forcing her body to meld tightly against his own. Janeway's eyes widened as his arousal pressed into her stomach. He saw her reaction and grinned, his dark eyes positively sparkling.

Her breathing increased significantly. _Damn that man..._ Janeway's face relaxed slowly as a plan formed. Keeping in rhythm with the music, she began to rub her hips against him, causing just enough friction to make his own eyes widen in surprise. A lopsided grin formed on her face as she watched.

By the time he'd taken a deep breath to steady himself, she was already chuckling, a deep, throaty sound that nearly took his breath away. If the crew had any idea what a tease their commanding officer was.

They stayed like that for what seemed an eternity, dancing slowly and sensually, each of them trying to get the upper hand in their current, wild game of seduction. They never broke eye contact, wanting to see exactly what kind of an effect they were having on each other. The sexual tension at that point was thick enough to cut with a knife, and they were both having the time of their lives.

The music had faded away long before their bodies finally came to a standstill. They continued to watch each other carefully, gauging even the most minute reaction. Chakotay finally moved, lowering his face to capture her lips once and for all, only to have her turn to the side at the last minute, keeping his prize well out of reach.

"It's getting awfully late," Janeway commented with a wry grin, staring intently at the chronometer on the wall. "We both have the early shift tomorrow."

"You're not going to let me kiss you, are you, Kathryn?" His voice held a definite plea. That only made her smile wider.

She turned her face back to him as she gently broke from his embrace. "There's a time for everything, my love," she whispered, cupping his face lovingly with her palm.

Chakotay's eyes closed in exasperation. He'd never met such a frustrating woman in his entire life! Yet, he wasn't above admitting to himself that he'd never been so aroused by a woman before, either. "I'll say good night, then," he offered with a smile, allowing her to see the depth of both his love and frustration. She smiled sympathetically, caressing his cheek until he finally pulled away from her touch and headed for the door.

"Thank you for a lovely evening, Chakotay. I love you." Her words rang true.

He turned back to look at her, brown meeting blue once more, only this time there was just genuine affection written in their depths. He smiled gently. "You're very welcome, and I love you more."

"You think so?"

"Mmmmmhmmm."

Janeway paused, allowing a sparkle of mischief back into her eyes. "We'll see about that."

Chakotay winked at her. "I look forward to it." He turned and left then, leaving _Voyager's_ commanding officer staring after him, amusement clearly written in her expression.

Once out in the corridor, he leaned heavily against the bulkhead opposite her door, breathing deeply. He pounded his fist lightly against its cool surface, willing his body to calm down. _Oh, Kathryn, what you do to me..._

Behind him, he could have sworn he heard the joyful sound of her laughter echoing softly from her quarters.

~ * ~ * ~

"I do not understand the purpose of this outfit," Seven of Nine complained as she stared at herself in the mirror. Harry Kim stood behind her, trying very hard to suppress a grin.

"They're dress uniforms, Seven," he explained. "We wear them for official Starfleet functions."

"It is an inefficient use of material, and it is extremely uncomfortable."

"Comfort is irrelevant where Starfleet is concerned." Kim pulled absently at his collar.

Seven turned around and inspected Kim's appearance. "Do we look _official_ enough?"

"Let's hope so," he replied with a smile. "We should get going. The reception has started already."

"I have several important projects that are being neglected in favor of attending this function. Are we required to remain present for the entire evening?" Seven asked as they made their way into the corridor.

"As senior staff members, I think we just need to put in a respectable appearance. Maybe an hour or so?"

The former Borg remained silent, though the expression on her face was one of extreme dissatisfaction.

"Hey, wait up, Harry!" Tom Paris's voice echoed off the bulkheads. Both Kim and Seven turned to see the pilot and his wife making their way down the corridor towards them.

"Don't do it, Harry," Torres told the young ensign forcefully.

"Do what?"

"You need to take this," Paris shoved a walkie-talkie into Kim's hands as soon as he was close enough.

"What for?"

"He wants you to help him spy on Ensign Brooks at the reception," Torres explained, looking thoroughly disgusted.

"It's not spying," Paris insisted. "We'd just be confirming rumors, that's all."

Kim was very confused. "What about Brooks?"

"Dalby said Brooks has a hickey the size of a plum on the right side of her neck, just below the collar-line."

Kim's eyebrows rose, a grin forming on his face. "If it's below the collar-line, how did Dalby get a look at it?"

Paris grinned back. "Good question."

"What is a hickey?" Seven asked.

"Absolutely nothing of any importance," Torres crossed her arms in annoyance.

"Like hell," Paris retorted. "I've got three days worth of replicator rations riding on this one!"

"Well, how are we supposed to catch a glimpse?" Kim's curiosity was definitely getting the best of him.

"She could turn her head just the right way, or lean over a table..."

"Why don't you just ask Seven to walk up and pull her collar down?" the Klingon asked sarcastically.

Paris stared at his wife. "That's not a bad idea."

"No!" Kim shook his head defiantly.

Seven was looking from one person to the other in confusion. "What would be the significance of such an action?"

"You're right," Paris began, ignoring Seven's question. "Subtlety is the key. Keep this handy," he continued, indicating the walkie-talkie in Kim's hands. "We can scope out the whole scene from opposite ends of the room and keep each other informed."

"You are so juvenile," Torres complained.

"You won't be saying that when we're enjoying several romantic dinners in the privacy of our quarters courtesy of Ensign Brooks's hickey."

Torres huffed dramatically, shaking her head as she moved past everyone to continue down the corridor. "Come on, Seven," she called. "Let's leave the boys to their games." Seven followed the engineer, casting a dubious look at the two men behind her.

"B'Elanna's pretty irritated," Kim commented as the women disappeared from view.

"Oh, she'll get over it," Paris shrugged, slapping the young ensign on the shoulder. "Besides, we've got work to do. All we need is the _Mission Impossible_ theme playing in the background at the reception."

" _Mission Impossible_?"

Paris laughed. "Never mind, Harry. Long story..."

"One of these days you're going to tell me all these long stories," Kim smiled as they started down the corridor towards the turbolift.

"You're on!"

~ * ~ * ~

The reception in the Mess Hall was colorful, lively, aromatic... and very cold. The temperature inside the room had been lowered by thirty degrees for the comfort of the Navarri visiting from the millennium ship Zahara. Even then, the slightly blue-skinned Navarri representatives were perspiring visibly.

"Each of our millennium ships carries an entire civilization within its confines," Ambassador Maldon smiled radiantly. The Zahara Navarri were much shorter and heavier than the others of their species. Their height was easily comparable to most humans. All of the visitors were dressed in brilliantly-colored, light-weight apparel, looking very much like they were prepared for a tropical vacation rather than the chilled temperatures of their current surroundings. "Some of them contain radically different cultures and biospheres," the Ambassador continued.

"We've noticed quite a difference already," Janeway smiled. She was trying very hard to be polite and not blow into her hands to keep them warm, but she could barely feel her fingers anymore. "Tell me, how many people reside in each of your ships?"

"Our most densely populated vessel contains nearly 400,000 citizens."

Janeway's eyes widened as the number sank in. Her ship often felt confining and over-crowded with only 142 crew members...

"We know that you remain in constant communication with the rest of your people, but do you have the ability to physically visit other ships?" Chakotay asked.

"Yes, we do," Maldon replied. "Each of our millennium ships hosts a fleet of smaller vessels that double as life-pods should the need for evacuation become necessary. Each of these is equipped with the same type of phase shifting equipment that the main ships have. Several of these pods are used for inter-ship travel services."

"Do these travel pods slow down their rotation speed in order to match the frequency rotation of the next millennium ship?" Janeway's mind was ticking off the logistical details of just such a feat.

"That is precisely what they do, Captain Janeway," the Ambassador began. "If we travel, we can only visit millennium ships that are essentially behind us in frequency rotation, as we cannot move faster than our normal rotation speed."

"So, in order to get back to the ship you started from, you need to rotate backward through all the ships until yours comes up again, right?"

"It is a lengthy procedure," Maldon nodded. "Those who choose such travel plans generally spend a respectable amount of time on several of the ships in order to make the trip worthwhile. Otherwise, from start to finish, the travel time alone would amount to roughly six days."

"This is fascinating," Janeway commented, her eyes blazing with curiosity. "It's astounding what your people have accomplished."

"We have come a long way, albeit out of necessity."

Chakotay politely excused himself from the conversation then, leaving Janeway to more of the Ambassador's scientific explanations. He could tell she was enjoying the reception despite the uncomfortable temperature. _Once a scientist, always a scientist_ , he mused wryly.

Looking around the Mess Hall, he spotted Tom and Harry conversing quietly by themselves in a corner. Chakotay could tell they were up to no good just by the expressions on their faces, but his need to find something hot to drink ultimately overrode his desire to find out exactly what was going on. He headed for the refreshment table, still watching the junior officers out of the corner of his eye.

Seven of Nine stood impassively at the edge of the table, watching the rest of the reception with detached interest. Chakotay grinned as he approached. "Are you enjoying yourself, Seven?" he asked as he poured himself a cup of hot apple cider.

"Enjoyment is irrelevant. My presence here is required."

"True," Chakotay admitted. "Can I at least get you some cider?"

"I do not require..." she began, but stopped herself, rethinking her answer. "Thank you, no," she offered at last.

Chakotay smiled. She was definitely learning. "So, are you planning to examine the behavioral patterns of differing species in a diplomatic setting this evening?"

"No," she replied coolly. "I intend to observe how long it takes Lieutenant Paris and Ensign Kim to determine whether or not Ensign Brooks does, indeed, have a hickey the size of a plum on the right side of her neck just beneath the collar-line."

Chakotay just stared at the former Borg.

"Of course, my observations would have more of a foundation if I knew exactly what a hickey was," Seven finished, turning to look at the first officer.

He continued to stare at her, desperately fighting the urge to laugh. "That's a very interesting question, Seven. I'm not certain I could offer you an explanation in terms you could understand, though. Perhaps you should ask the Doctor?"

"It is a medical condition, then?"

"Not exactly..." Chakotay began hesitantly.

"If you will excuse me, Commander," Seven interrupted. "I believe I am being summoned."

Across the room, Harry Kim was gesturing emphatically for the former Borg to join him. When he realized Chakotay was also watching, he immediately switched to an innocent looking 'hello' wave, an over-exuberant smile lighting up his face. _Nice try, Harry_ , the first officer thought. He started forward, intending to have a little chat with the two pranksters, when he heard the captain calling him.

Janeway was still with the Navarri Ambassador, but he was currently deep in a private conversation with another of his people. She discreetly pointed to the bowl of hot apple cider and shot him the most convincing pair of puppy dog eyes he'd ever seen. Chakotay couldn't help but chuckle; she was just too cute. Turning around, he poured a second glass of the steaming fruit drink and moved to rejoin the Ambassador's party once more.

The captain gratefully accepted the glass of cider, wrapping both hands around it. She smiled appreciatively at Chakotay. The Navarri, of course, had chosen to consume some of the cooler beverages available at the reception. Their systems didn't seem at all geared to food or drink that wasn't close to freezing temperatures.

Maldon turned back to _Voyager's_ commanding officers. "Please forgive the interruption, Captain. You had just started to tell me that _Voyager_ has encountered the Borg... and lived to tell about it?"

"It's definitely an experience we'd prefer to avoid in the future," Chakotay replied with a grin.

"You were very lucky," the Ambassador emphasized. "They are even more persistent than the Pganga, though not nearly as cunning."

"You've encountered them, as well?" Janeway asked, a bit surprised.

"Oh, they've tried to assimilate us on several occasions. But, it's very hard to do so when your target won't behave and stay in one dimension. Our people would be useless to them; even as drones our cell structures would still unravel completely within twelve hours. Our technology, on the other hand, could be very valuable to them. We must be careful not to allow it to fall into their hands."

"Do you really believe they could ever succeed in assimilating your ships?"

"A fully functional millennium ship, no," he explained. "But, things have happened in the past that left some of our ships vulnerable and open to attack. We've not had any close calls with the Borg in particular, but that possibility is not out of the question."

"The debris field we encountered a few days ago..." Chakotay remembered suddenly. "Those were the remains of your ships..."

Maldon's eyes clouded as he nodded his head slowly. "Yes... a malfunctioning phase modulation drive on board the Osira caused the ship to come to a dead halt in its rotation frequency. The sudden jolt of stopping in one dimension without initiating the necessary braking procedure caused some of the phase engines to explode. Part of the ship was damaged in that explosion, and the resulting power surges caused even more destruction as well as effectively knocking out all of their primary systems.

"A complete evacuation was called for, but three-quarters of the life-pods were either unable to detach from the main ship, or had been destroyed by the initial explosions. The Osira was essentially dead in space, and there was no way the engineers could repair the damage before their four-hour grace period was up. The Navarri on board were stranded in this dimension, with a time bomb in their own genetic structure just waiting to go off.

"A full-scale rescue was executed among the whole fleet,” Maldon continued, “each of the ships 'behind' the Osira in frequency rotation immediately beginning emergency braking procedures so they could offer assistance. Still, there were roughly 250,000 Navarri trapped on board. A ship-to-ship evacuation that large takes time." The Ambassador paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "There is no scenario in our culture more terrifying than this one."

"There must have been a great deal of panic." Janeway was horrified.

"We struggled to get everyone off as quickly as possible, but there could only be two millennium ships within transporter range at a time due to the sheer size of our vessels," he continued. "We were alternating turns, each ship never staying in this dimension for longer than two hours at a time, but, it wasn't enough.

"After nine hours, the remaining inhabitants of Osira had succumbed to the worst symptoms of what we call phase sickness. Many had already died, and others were in the final stages of the sickness, their cell degeneration coupled with a horrible sense of fear and panic at being left behind to die. In a complete loss of rational thought, some of Osira's command crew opened fire on one of the rescue ships. The damage caused a chain reaction through its primary computer systems, accidentally enabling the ship's ancient self-destruct sequence. There was no way to stop it in time. The third ship in attendance managed to phase itself out before the explosion destroyed the two that remained. Nearly 520,000 Navarri lost their lives that day."

Chakotay closed his eyes as the Ambassador's words sank in, silently mourning such a devastating loss of life. Beside him, Janeway had grown very still, equally affected by the thought of such a tragedy. "You regard the debris field as a sacred place, don't you?" she asked softly, memories of her dream a few days ago resurfacing in vivid detail.

"Yes, we do," Maldon answered. "Very few people venture into this region of space, so the chances of it being disturbed are very low."

"I'm afraid we did just that, Ambassador," the captain admitted regretfully. "We beamed some of the debris aboard _Voyager_ for analysis."

"Yes, we know." A touch of a smile tugged at Maldon's lips. It was the last reaction the command team had expected. "We've actually been monitoring your progress since you first entered this sector. We were very curious as to your intentions. By the time you reached the perimeter of the debris, we had concluded that you posed no threat. Your examination of the field was non-invasive, your only reasons for doing so based in scientific research. In that respect our people are kindred spirits, Captain. The search for knowledge means a great deal to us, and it appears your people feel the same."

"You took no offense at our intrusion then?" Chakotay asked.

"Not at all. You even had the courtesy to return the debris fragments to their original resting places when you were finished."

Janeway breathed deeply in relief. After all the paranoid, xenophobic, and war-like species they had encountered in the Delta Quadrant, it was nice to know they hadn't inadvertently stepped on the toes of one that was willing to go out of its way to offer some assistance. Her thoughts were cut short as _Voyager's_ resident morale officer, ambassador, cook, and field medic-in-training appeared beside them. While he was still wearing his usual obnoxious-colored clothing, he'd also added a bright red scarf and matching pair of mittens to his outfit.

_Leave it to Neelix to be subtle_ Janeway thought.

"Ambassador Maldon," Neelix beamed excitedly. "I just placed a few main dishes onto the refreshment table that I believe you and your party will enjoy."

Janeway grinned as the Talaxian began a lengthy list of delicacies, including all of the ingredients and various ways in which they were prepared. The Navarri Ambassador listened with great enthusiasm, obviously appreciating all the interaction between their cultures.

"I've also set out servings of chilled ckapa custard and ilomelon sorbet," Neelix continued, leaning in closer to make his point. "Two of the Delta Quadrant's rarest treats."

"That is most kind of you," Maldon expressed with a smile. "Captain, Commander, if you'll excuse me, I would like to sample some of these dishes."

"By all means," Janeway offered. "Please enjoy."

Chakotay couldn't help but chuckle as he watched them make their way across the room, Neelix continuing to explain about the diversity of foods he served on board _Voyager_. "The Ambassador is very patient."

Janeway sipped at her apple cider, relishing in the warmth it brought to her chilled system. "The Navarri really are grateful to make contact with other species, even to the point of enduring an enthusiastic Talaxian."

"They're good people."

"Yes, they are," she agreed softly. "They're also very brave."

The reflective silence that followed was interrupted as the captain's combadge chirped suddenly. "Tuvok to Janeway."

"Go ahead, Tuvok."

"Captain, there are ten more Navarri requesting permission to beam aboard." The Vulcan's voice was impassive, as usual, but Janeway detected a hint of displeasure behind the unwavering calm.

She glanced at Chakotay, laughter sparkling in her eyes. "I don't see a problem with that, Mister Tuvok, do you?"

There was a pause on the other end before the security officer continued. "The original Navarri delegation consisted of fifteen people. That is well above the necessary requirement for any diplomatic function. Since then, at least ten more Navarri have been beamed aboard. Including the _Voyager_ crew members in attendance, the Mess Hall is very close to being filled to capacity."

"This isn't just a diplomatic function," Janeway explained patiently. "It's a celebration, and where a celebration is concerned, the more the merrier."

"Understood," the Vulcan stated. He obviously knew better than to try debating the logic of an inherently illogical social function.

"Oh, and Mister Tuvok?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"I realize that it's very cold in here, but you were planning on making an abbreviated appearance, weren't you?"

There was another pause. _Voyager's_ commanding officers grinned at one another as they waited for the Vulcan's reply. "Of course, Captain. I will escort the Navarri party from the transporter room to the... celebration."

"Very good, Tuvok. We'll see you when you get here. Janeway out."

"He really hates parties, doesn't he?" Chakotay asked thoughtfully.

"He's incapable of _hating_ anything," she corrected. "But, I have sensed a distinct aversion to things that don't serve a functional purpose."

"Yes," Chakotay grinned. "He hates parties."

Janeway smothered a chuckle as she took another swallow of the cider. "So, do you have any idea what's going on with Paris and company this evening?"

"What do you mean?" Chakotay tried to sound innocent. It didn't work.

"Seven has been following Ensign Brooks around like a puppy for the last ten minutes, engaging her in idle conversation," Janeway observed nonchalantly. "There's only one problem with that; Seven doesn't engage in idle conversation with anyone and much prefers to remain in an observational position during these kinds of activities."

"Maybe she's just exercising her social skills?" he offered, unable to suppress a smirk.

"That could be, but I don't buy it," she insisted. "Tom and Harry are scouting the entire scene from opposite ends of the room while quietly conversing with one another through Tom's walkie-talkies. B'Elanna, on the other hand, has been glaring at her husband from a table in the corner ever since they all walked in thirty minutes ago. You can't possibly tell me there's nothing going on."

Chakotay looked as if he was about to crack up. "Nothing slips by you, does it?"

Janeway grinned impishly. "Spill it, Commander."

"Rumor has it they're on the lookout for hickeys," he answered obediently.

The captain continued to stare evenly at Chakotay. "Why am I not surprised by that?"

"Because this is Tom Paris we're talking about."

"Right," she nodded, taking a deep breath. "He's made a good career out of sneaking around and digging up information nobody else can get a hold of. I should recommend him for Covert Operations when we get back to the Alpha Quadrant."

"I bet those walkie-talkies would come in handy for that," Chakotay commented dryly.

They both burst out laughing, more at their own playful audacity than anything else. Before they'd even had time to catch their breath, the door to the Mess Hall opened, admitting ten garishly dressed Navarri carrying strange looking instruments and one resigned Vulcan who glanced pointedly in Janeway's direction with an ' _I told you so_ ' look on his face.

"Ah!" Ambassador Maldon announced loudly from where he stood at the refreshment table, his arms spread wide in the traditional Navarri gesture of greeting. "The musicians!"

The newly arrived Navarri took that as their cue, and began to circle the room playing the instruments they'd brought with them. The tempo was quick, lively, and loud, reminding Janeway very much of some kind of Gypsy or Russian music. She smiled at Chakotay, both of them unable to contain another round of laughter.

In the middle of all the action, Seven of Nine paused in her investigation of Ensign Brooks to stare at the Navarri distastefully. Everyone around her had begun to move with the music, taking the Navarri lead. Within minutes the entire room was literally hopping to the beat of the music, whistles and mirthful, wordless exclamations adding to the driving rhythm.

"Stay with her, Harry!" Paris called into his walkie-talkie above the musical mayhem. "This is our chance!"

"I'm on it!" Harry laughed back, throwing himself into the mass of dancing bodies. _Gods, I wish I had my clarinet here_ , he thought. _This would be a blast!_

Paris glanced in his wife's direction. She was sitting by herself, still glaring at him. She was also shivering, he noticed. Klingons definitely couldn't handle colder temperatures. Making his way over to where she sat, Paris held his hand out to her.

"I don't feel like dancing," Torres growled.

"Come on, B'Ela," he encouraged, smiling sweetly. "It'll warm you up."

Torres stared at the mob of dancing people. He did have a point. After a moment's hesitation, she stood up suddenly, grabbing the walkie-talkie out of his hand and throwing it into the corner.

"Hey!"

"Now I'll dance with you," she retorted triumphantly. Grabbing his hand, she yanked him into the chaos.

_Voyager's_ command team barely had time to set their glasses down before they, too, were pulled into the festivities. Laughter and music filled the Mess Hall as the tempo continued to escalate. Several Navarri climbed onto empty tables, dancing well above the rest of the room. Almost everyone present appeared to be enjoying themselves immensely.

Almost everyone...

Two sets of eyes carefully observed the revelry from a safe distance. "I do not understand the purpose of this," Seven told Tuvok, confusion evident on her face. "Do all diplomatic gatherings include such unnecessary physical activity?"

"Negative," the Vulcan replied calmly. "This situation appears to be highly unusual."

"Then perhaps I can use this respite to my advantage," the former Borg continued, turning to look at the security officer. "Can you please provide me with the definition of a hickey?"

Tuvok slowly turned his head to meet her gaze, his eyebrows rising past his hairline.

Across the room, Harry Kim was frantically working his way through the crowd to where Paris and Torres were. He'd tried to raise the pilot on his walkie-talkie, but had received no answer.

"Harry!" Paris yelled, waving at the younger man.

"Tom!" Kim's eyes were filled with laughter as he bounced his way to where his friends were. "You're not going to believe this!"

"What?"

"It's there! I saw it!"

"The hickey?" Paris asked hopefully.

"Yes! It's huge!"

The pilot let out a loud whoop, which only blended in perfectly with all the other noise happening. "Make sure Seven sees it," he began, pointing in Brooks' direction. "I'll need a reliable source in order to collect the replicator rations!"

"Seven disappeared as soon as the music started!" Kim explained, shrugging his shoulders.

"That's okay," Paris shouted, grinning at his wife. "B'Elanna's a good source, too!"

"I'm not getting involved in this!" Torres yelled, glaring at her husband.

"I'll get rid of the shirt from hell if you do!" Paris offered with a grin.

Torres laughed sarcastically. "If it's not one thing, it's another..."

"Come on!"

Each of the young officers grabbed a hold of one of Torres' hands, guiding her deeper into the celebration. More of _Voyager's_ crew had joined in on the fun, making the Mess Hall one giant wall-to-wall mass of twisting bodies. The musicians showed no sign of stopping anytime soon, and by the time the three of them had danced their way to where Ensign Brooks was conversing with the Doctor, they were just about exhausted.

"Doc!" Paris shouted.

"Mister Paris," the EMH acknowledged loudly in his usual gruff voice.

"Your voice is back to normal!"

"And not a moment too soon," the Doctor explained. "I would have never been heard over this ruckus sounding like I did!"

"I didn't know you liked dancing?" Kim laughed, watching the hologram doing his best to keep up with everyone around him.

The EMH glared at the young officer. "I'm not particularly fond of it, but I needed to check on Ensign Brooks's progress!"

"Progress?" Paris asked, a sinking feeling beginning in his stomach.

Ensign Brooks grimaced at the expectant onlookers, pulling the top of her collar down to expose a large, dark mark on her neck. "An allergic reaction to some coolant I was exposed to during the attack a few days ago!" she shouted. "It's all over my shoulder and part of my chest!"

It took all the control Torres had not to laugh out loud. She glanced at both Paris and Kim, noting with satisfaction that they were stunned speechless. _When will they ever learn..._

The music began to fade away then as Ambassador Maldon's voice suddenly resounded through the room. "May I have your attention!" he began loudly, a bright smile on his face. The whole room became very still and silent as he continued. "My dear respected friends and colleagues. Today is a very special day in our lives. We have been embraced by fellow travelers who have shown us hospitality and friendship beyond our wildest dreams. Tales of _Voyager_ and her crew will be passed down through our generations, each detail of this wondrous experience carefully preserved by our historians. The blessing of your friendship will not be forgotten!"

A cheer rose through the Navarri contingent, the applause drowning out Maldon's attempt to continue. After nearly thirty seconds of waving his hands, the Ambassador finally quieted the room enough for him to speak once more. "I would like to propose a toast to our wonderful _Voyager_ friends, and, especially, to their leaders, Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. May the rest of your journey be peaceful," he indicated, spreading his arms wide to represent all of the crew members. He then turned to look upon _Voyager's_ command team alone as he continued. "And may the life you've chosen to build together be filled with much happiness and love."

This time the cheer spread through _Voyager's_ crew members, causing the Navarri to laugh and applaud as well. Janeway and Chakotay turned to look at each other, very obviously confused.

"Ambassador?" Janeway chuckled questioningly.

Maldon laughed heartily. "News of your bonding spread like wildfire through the Navarri crews as fast as it did through your own, Captain. That is why so many of us chose to be present for this gathering; we wanted to celebrate your union with our own traditional blessings as a sign of our deepest gratitude."

The captain was thoroughly embarrassed, her face flushing with heat. Suddenly, it wasn't quite as cold in the room as it had been. "We appreciate your sentiments," she began, unable to keep herself from smiling, "but the Commander and I haven't been married yet."

"We realize that your official bonding ceremony hasn't taken place," the Ambassador smiled at them. "Since we will not be present for this blessed event, we wanted to hold a celebration of our own." The large, blue-skinned Navarri laughed once more. "If you were Navarri, you would already be considered married!"

That got Paris's attention. His blue eyes snapped up, bewilderment over Ensign Brooks's non-hickey disappearing from his face as this new set of circumstances took shape around him.

"We would?" Chakotay asked.

"We have performed the Hyata dance for you," Maldon chuckled. "Our people do not dwell on lengthy marriage ceremonies. The young couple is brought before the high priest, who calls for the Hyata dance to begin. When the dance is over, the couple is forever bonded in heart and spirit."

Someone from the back of the room shouted, "Are you a high priest?" Both Janeway and Chakotay turned around at the same time, trying to see through the crowd of people. _That sounded like Paris..._

"As a matter of fact, I am," Maldon beamed.

Harry Kim jumped as Paris grabbed him by his uniform and dragged him through the crowd. Torres watched them go, crossing her arms in irritation. "Now what?" she grumbled.

"You needn't worry, Captain, Commander," the Ambassador continued. "Though our ceremony is legally binding in our culture, we only meant for it to represent a future blessing for you."

"That was most kind of you," Janeway smiled warmly.

Paris edged his way through the group of people, he and Kim coming to a stop very near their commanding officers. "But, it would be legally binding if both parties involved agreed to it?"

Chakotay felt rather than saw the captain's hackles begin to rise. _You really are bucking for a demotion, aren't you, Paris_ , he thought.

Maldon caught on to Paris’s train of thought, a grin forming on his face. "Well, naturally, if the people involved consented and the ceremony was considered legal by the precepts of their culture."

Paris and Kim both turned to face _Voyager's_ command team, huge smiles brightening their features. Janeway should have been furious, and, indeed, she'd been well on her way. But, the look on the young officers' faces absolutely melted her heart. They hadn't been waiting for this for the sake of replicator rations — that much was certain just by the look in Tom Paris's eyes. They simply wanted to see their superiors happy. She turned her head, eyes seeking those of the man she loved. Chakotay was smiling at her, his gentle face filled with affection. She couldn't explain the feeling by any means, but everything suddenly felt very, very right.

With a small smile tugging at her own lips, Janeway turned to look at Maldon. "We weren't exactly prepared, Ambassador. In our culture, we generally exchange vows as well as a token of our commitment to each other."

The smile broke from Paris's face, and he quickly held up his index finger. "Hold that thought, Captain." Then the pilot disappeared back into the crowd again. A confused stir quietly filtered through the room as Torres finally made her way to the front where she could see what was happening.

"What's Tom doing?" she whispered to Kim.

"I haven't the faintest idea," he responded, still smiling politely.

It only took a minute for Paris to return, a small, delicate case in his hands. Without hesitation, he walked up to Janeway and Chakotay and opened the case for them. There were two gold wedding bands inside. Torres felt tears gathering in her eyes as she watched. She knew exactly how many replicator rations it cost for even one gold band, much less two. She would never deny that her husband was a prankster and a gambler, but when it came right down to it, his heart was always in the right place.

"Mister Paris?" Janeway asked softly. She was absolutely stunned.

"You can always recycle them for something better if you'd like," the pilot answered with a grin. "I just wanted you to have something to make this official."

"Where did you get the replicator rations for these?"

"Well..." Paris began, looking a bit flustered. "I guess you could say these are compliments of most of the crew. I used the rations I won off the betting pool from your wager."

Janeway did her best to glare at the pilot as laughter erupted around her, but it didn't work. She was genuinely touched by his gesture. Beside her, Chakotay reached for the smaller of the two rings. The captain felt a flutter begin in her stomach as she watched him, the world around her disappearing completely as the man she loved grasped her left hand in his own. She looked up at him, her eyes drowning inside the beautiful dark pools of affection that gazed back at her. She was barely aware of the fact that he was speaking.

"Kathryn Janeway, please accept this as a symbol of my love and devotion to you. No matter what the future holds, I will remain by your side until the end of this journey we call life. My heart belongs to you." Chakotay waited a fraction of a second before sliding the ring onto her finger, searching the depths of her blue-grays for any sign of hesitation. He found none.

Janeway's heart skipped a beat as she felt the ring being placed on her finger. It felt chilled, most likely from the near freezing temperature in the room, but the feel of it warmed her heart like nothing else possibly could. She valiantly fought a wave of tears that threatened as the reality of the situation took full hold. She continued to gaze at those loving brown eyes, losing herself in the warmth and security they offered.

A gentle nudge against her right hand brought her partially back to the moment. It was Paris's fingers she felt as he placed the larger ring in her palm. As if in a daze, Janeway mirrored the movements of her beloved, taking his left hand in hers and repeating the words that had bound his soul to hers moments before, her own voice barely above a whisper. Carefully sliding the ring onto his finger, she realized with a start that it was done.

They were married.

_Oh, my God..._

There was suddenly a great deal of noise all around her, shocking her completely back to reality. The whole room was cheering loudly, and to be honest, she really didn't mind. Her eyes were still locked with those of her new husband, a connection of pure love flowing freely between them amid all the chaos. Chakotay had just started to lean forward, intending to seal their union with the kiss he'd been waiting ever so patiently for, when the Ambassador's voice boomed around the room.

"Now it is time to celebrate!!" he yelled jovially.

Music instantly flooded the room once more, the entire compliment of Navarri and _Voyager_ crew beginning to dance to the fast beat. The captain began laughing hard as both she and Chakotay were dragged into the commotion, neither of them allowed to finish the final act of their marriage ceremony. He stared after her, shaking his head in amusement as the Navarri Ambassador joined in the fun.

Paris whistled loudly as the celebration began anew. His wife stared at him, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"So, you think everything is okay now?" she stated.

"You're not still mad at me for the hickey thing, are you?" he asked, a touch of uncertainty in his voice. She just stared back at him. After a moment's hesitation, he decided a new approach was in order. He stepped closer to his wife and leaned down to speak into her ear. "Why don't we blow this joint and go back to my place for a little fun. You know... you break mine, I'll break yours?"

Torres couldn't help herself; she burst out laughing. "That is the worst Klingon pick-up line I've ever heard!"

Paris joined in her laughter. "Well, I tried!" With a slight nod of his head, he gestured toward the door. "So, you wanna?" His eyes widened as a low growl issued from her throat. "I guess so," he murmured as she grabbed his arm and began dragging him through the sea of people toward the door.

Chakotay couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he danced. He had never been so happy in his entire life. Despite all the commotion going on, his eyes never left the form of his wife. He watched in wonder, trying to memorize each detail of her smiling face as she moved joyfully to the music. It was a moment he never wanted to forget as long as he lived.

~ * ~ * ~

Several hours later, _Voyager's_ commanding officers walked casually through the corridors, quietly contemplating the enormity of what had just happened. Janeway couldn't stop staring at the simple gold band that now adorned the third finger of her left hand.

"Those Navarri certainly know how to throw a party," Chakotay finally offered, a playful smirk on his face.

"That's an understatement if I’ve ever heard one," she grinned. "And here I thought nothing would ever rival Tom and B'Elanna's wedding reception."

"Dancing is definitely much more enjoyable when you don't have to dodge bat'leths," Chakotay proclaimed.

Janeway burst out laughing as she remembered. "They're still trying to figure out who reprogrammed that simulation to include a Klingon war party."

"Oh, it was Paris," he insisted. "He just doesn't want to admit he made a mistake. It could cost him a limb or two."

"Well, I assumed this would be an interesting diplomatic reception, too," she finally offered, her laughter softening to a gentle smile, "but I never imagined I would leave a married woman."

Chakotay chuckled. "The universe works in mysterious ways." He paused, studying her carefully. "Are you happy, Kathryn, or are you feeling uncertain?"

"I'm feeling many things right now, but uncertainty definitely isn't one of them," Janeway smiled at him. "I truly wouldn't have agreed to this if it wasn't what I wanted with all my heart."

Chakotay smiled back, a twinkle sparkling in his eyes. "Does this mean I'll finally get to kiss you?" he asked as they slowed to a stop in front of her quarters.

Janeway's smile turned devious. "I'll think about it." She entered several commands on the control panel beside the door, causing it to open. Without looking back at him she stepped inside, the door closing behind her. Chakotay remained standing outside, staring longingly after her.

A whole ten seconds passed before the door opened again. His wife stood in the entrance, a look of unrestrained passion in her beautiful blue eyes. She was still smiling. Chakotay's heart swelled as the full depth of her love for him finally registered in his heart. Slowly, she reached out and grasped the front of his uniform jacket, gently pulling him inside until the door finally closed behind them both.

~ * ~ * ~

Janeway led him to the middle of the room, her eyes never leaving his. As they came to a standstill, she reached up and gently pulled his face down to hers. There was no hesitation on her part. Her lips were on his even before he registered what was about to happen, the kiss forceful, yet tender.

Chakotay's senses were reeling. The sensation of her lips moving with his, the taste of her... the feel of her body pressing against his unashamedly nearly sent him into overload. Her tongue was teasing the entrance to his mouth relentlessly, not even waiting until both of them had come up for air before taking up the assault. He indulged her eagerly, allowing her full access.

Reaching around, he pulled her body closer to his. He was rewarded with a soft, throaty moan from her, the vibration tickling both their mouths. The sensation sent a shudder through his whole system. Her hands were on him then, long, deft fingers searching out the fasteners that held his dress uniform jacket in place. Before he could even react, she'd loosened the top flap and was making her way downward. Chakotay gently grasped her shoulders and pulled back a bit, attempting to get her attention before she'd opened it completely. She ignored him, taking advantage of the fact that more of his front was now open to her. Finally, he pulled his lips from hers.

"Kathryn," he whispered, again trying to get her attention. She responded by playfully biting his neck, determined hands pulling the bottom of his turtleneck out of his trousers. Chakotay wasn't going to kid himself; he was enjoying every minute of this, even if he was a bit surprised by her taking the lead with such intensity. "Kathryn," he chuckled, this time taking her hands in his own to still them. It worked.

She smiled up at him, obviously delighted at his reaction to her more provocative side. "Yes, Chakotay?" she whispered.

"This is a very special moment..."

"Mmmmhmmmm," she nodded, her eyes fixing pointedly on his lips.

Chakotay groaned softly as she did so. He'd never been so aroused in his life. Janeway took the cue, slipping her hands from his in order to continue her task of undressing him. A grin spread across his face as he recaptured her wandering fingers.

"Kathryn..." His voice was filled with amusement.

She grinned back, her face reflecting all the love and laughter in her heart. "Don't tell me you're going to tease me like I've been teasing you?"

Chakotay tilted his head thoughtfully. "That's very tempting," he began, waiting for her reaction. It didn't take long.

Janeway's eyes widened and she took a long, dramatic breath through her mouth as she stared at him in playful disbelief. "You wouldn't..."

"You're right," he laughed softly, bringing her fingers up to his mouth for a kiss. "But, I do want this moment to last. And that means," he began, tightening his hold on her hands which had begun to fight their way loose again, "that you will have to behave and allow me to show you exactly how much I love you."

"So, you are going to tease me." Her eyes sparkled.

Chakotay leaned in closer until his lips nuzzled her ear. "I'm going to show you just how beautiful and desirable a woman you are, Kathryn," he whispered, causing her to shiver.

Janeway's smile widened. Within seconds, she'd recaptured his lips in another kiss, this one more passionate and demanding than before. Chakotay chuckled into her mouth, reluctantly pulling away once more as he took her by the hand and led her towards the beginning of their new life together.

~ * ~ * ~

Kathryn Janeway was awake long before the wake-up chime was due to sound. She felt warm, safe, and very loved as she lay snuggled in her husband's arms. Chakotay's breathing was deep and even as he continued to sleep.

She closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of contentment as her mind went through the events of the last few days once more. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, but she felt no regrets. It had been time —time to move past fears and Starfleet road blocks in order to find the small amount of happiness they both deserved. _This may not be heaven_ , she thought absently, _but it's close enough for me_.

Reaching out, Janeway rubbed her hand gently along her husband's chest, relishing in the feel of his flesh beneath her fingertips. How long had she waited to enjoy such a luxury...

"Kathryn?"

She raised her head to look into his eyes. "I'm sorry, Chakotay," she whispered. "I couldn't help myself."

He chuckled, pulling her even closer into his embrace. "You never have to apologize for expressing your affection, Love."

"Even if it wakes you up?"

"Especially if it wakes me up," he grinned wickedly, moving in for a kiss.

"You're terrible," Janeway whispered, meeting his lips half way. The kiss was gentle, an echo of the passion they'd already shared together. Hands roamed freely, caressing each other affectionately. Both of them were far too tired for anything more.

Chakotay glanced at the chronometer as they drew apart. "We have thirty minutes," he smiled.

"Are you upset that I turned down Tuvok's offer for us to take a honeymoon right now?" she asked.

"Not at all," he replied. "I wouldn't feel right either, not after all that's happened. It's probably best if we wait until we're certain we're in friendlier territory."

"When that happens, I promise I won't argue over not reporting to the Bridge for two weeks."

Chakotay laughed, the sound warming Janeway's heart. "The Bridge will be the last thing on your mind, I promise you that."

Together, they wrapped the covers more tightly around themselves, content to spend the last remaining minutes in blissful silence, the aura of their love shining brightly in their eyes.

~ * ~ * ~

At precisely 0757 hours, Tom Paris checked the instrument panel on his console for the hundredth time. No luck. The turbolift controls on their deck hadn't been activated yet.

"Mister Paris," Tuvok called from the captain's chair. "Is there a problem?"

"No, sir," the pilot replied, glancing over his shoulder at Harry Kim. The Operations officer looked just as antsy. B'Elanna Torres had taken her station on the Bridge, not wanting to miss the antics. If there was one thing her husband was very good at, it was getting into trouble.

Paris looked back down to his console. A red light was blinking obediently. "Show time!" he called, pulling a small bag out from under the Conn. The other Bridge officers were doing the same, all of them leaving their stations to converge around the turbolift doors.

Tuvok stood up reluctantly, attempting to ascertain exactly what was happening. "Please explain your actions, Mister Paris," he requested. For a Vulcan, he looked rather annoyed.

"Just a proper newlywed tradition, Tuvok," the pilot explained with a grin. "We didn't get to do this last night at the wedding, so we have to do it now."

The Vulcan took a deep breath. "The Bridge is hardly the place for such activities. Tradition could be delayed until the end of this duty shift."

"Oh, this will only take a minute," Paris retorted, staring expectantly at the doors.

Tuvok raised an eyebrow as the turbolift came to a halt, the doors opening to a scene not unexpected by _Voyager's_ crew. Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay were wrapped in an embrace, kissing gently, and quite oblivious to the fact that they had arrived at the Bridge. The cheer that issued forth from the Bridge crew startled them both, and as the rice began to fly, _Voyager's_ commanding officers couldn't help but laugh.

Janeway was embarrassed beyond belief, her face once more flushing to match the color of her uniform. "All right," she shouted, half-laughing. "The show is over — everyone back to work!"

Smiles and laughter continued to filter through the Bridge as everyone returned to their stations. Janeway and Chakotay made their way down to the command level, still chuckling and pulling rice from their hair.

"I apologize for the inappropriate behavior, Captain. I was not aware of their intentions," Tuvok explained solemnly.

The captain smiled at him. "No harm done, Tuvok. We'll just make sure Mister Paris vacuums the Bridge and all the turbolifts before the end of his shift." She heard the pilot groan, but kept her amused eyes firmly on her Chief of Security. "Status report?"

"All systems are functioning nominally at this time," Tuvok began. " _Voyager_ is approximately half a light year beyond the Vardan sector. The last Navarri millennium ship shifted out of this dimension at 0400 hours this morning, sending a final farewell and best wishes for a safe journey."

Janeway turned to look at the viewscreen. Stars... and nothing more. She fought a lump in her throat as she thought about the precarious existence the Navarri were forced to lead, and all the kindness they'd shown to _Voyager_ and her crew. _You won't be forgotten, either_... she thought sadly as she took a step forward. She felt Chakotay's presence behind her, poised and strong, and knew, without a doubt, that he would always be there for her and for the crew, no matter where this journey took them. Everything was in its place; everything was right.

Janeway sensed Paris's scrutiny even before she looked away from the viewscreen and refocused her eyes on him. The pilot was watching her expectantly, a small grin on his face. "Course heading, Captain?" he asked.

She grinned right back at him, not trying to hide her amusement at all. "Home, Mister Paris. Take us home."

"Yes, ma'am," he responded softly, turning back to his console.

Within seconds _Voyager_ became a brilliant streak of light as her tired but faithful warp engines came alive, leaving billions of twinkling stars in her wake.

~ * ~ finis ~ * ~


End file.
